The opposition BNP on Friday blamed the government’s “mismanagement” for the US decision to suspend the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facility for Bangladesh. “The government is responsible for the prevailing fragility in the country’s readymade garment (RMG) sector. The Barack Obama administration has revoked the GSP facilities due to the government’s mismanagement in this sector,” BNP spokesman Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
“The government-appointed lobbyists have also failed to resolve the issue through diplomatic channels,” he added. Alamgir, who is the BNP’s acting secretary general, was addressing a meeting at the National Press Club. It was held in protest against the alleged custodial torture on the acting editor of Amar Desh, Mahmudur Rahman. A large number of RMG workers were killed in several tragic incidents, including the Savar Rana Plaza and Ashulia Tajrin Fashion incidents. “But the government has failed to ensure speedy trial of the accused,” Alamgir alleged. The government has also failed to ensure safety measures for workers in the RMG sector, where a haphazard situation is prevailing due to the government’s mismanagement, he said. “Earlier, the World Bank had withdrawn its funding of the Padma Bridge Project. All our hopes and aspirations are being shattered because of the government’s misconduct and incapability,” he said.
The BNP leader said the countrymen have withdrawn their support for the government due to its “undemocratic activities” and this was evident from the results of the recent civic body polls in four cities. “The Awami League speaks of democracy, but believes in autocracy,” he added.
Alamgir said the government knew its days were numbered and it was therefore hatching a plot to hang on to power by planning to hold the next general election under its own oversight.
The BNP leader admitted that changeover of power will not be accelerated through the civic body polls. “But, we will wage a movement to topple the government if any irregularities take place during the Gazipur city corporation (GCC) polls on July 6,” he warned.
Alamgir criticised Suranjit Sengupta, minister without portfolio, for taking 1972’s Constitution as reference for the election-time interim government.
“Suranjit Sengupta refrained from putting his signature on the 1972 charter even though he was a member of the then Constitution draft committee. Now, he is taking the charter as reference to appoint a chief of the election-time administration,” he said.
“He has double standards regarding the election-time administration chief. It’s unbecoming of him to refer to the 1972 Constitution,” he added.
BNP leaders Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed and Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee were among those who addressed the programme, organised by the National Research Foundation.
In a separate programme, BNP standing committee member Khandakar Mosharraf Hossain accused the government of plotting to make the country dysfunctional. “The one-party BKSAL rule is going on in the country in the garb of democracy. The ruling Awami League is planning to prolong its stay in power by arranging the next general election under its own management,” he said.
The ruling Awami League had wanted to snatch peoples’ victory in the GCC polls by its attempt to abduct rebel candidate Jahangir Alam. “The countrymen will not allow the government to carry out its evil designs,” he said.
Mosharraf was addressing a meeting organised by the Centre for Democratic and Peace Studies at the National Press Club.
“The government has stopped several newspapers as part of its plan to daunt political opponents and to hide its failure to run the country properly,” he alleged.
Moudud Ahmed, another BNP standing committee member, also assailed the government for its failure to ensure continuation of the GSP facilities for Bangladeshi products in US markets.
“The government has sullied the country’s image and dignity abroad in many ways. The suspension of trade benefits is another black chapter in the country’s history,” he added.
Accusing the government of inept handling of the country’s economy, the BNP leader said the amount of investment was decreasing alarmingly and businessmen were passing through financial crisis.
During his departure, the Election Commission (EC) had described the constitutional body as toothless. The same remark was made by the Anti-Corruption Commission chief during his farewell, Moudud said.
He said the ruling party’s youth and student fronts had a free rein to indulge in crime, including manipulation of tenders. “These frontal organisations will be the main reason behind the Awami League’s debacle in the next general election,” he added.
The former law minister said the government did not want opposition MPs to attend Parliament and therefore abusive remarks were being made against BNP leaders, including Tarique Rahman.
Moudud was addressing a meeting on non-party caretaker provision and prevailing politics organised by Jatiyatabadi Peshajibi Parishad at the National Press Club.
He also alleged that Awami League was pressurising government officials to work in favour of the party-backed mayoral candidate in Gazipur.
Pro-Awami League government officials were appointed presiding officers, to ensure the ruling party’s victory in the Gazipur civic polls, he alleged.
Some influential Awami League leaders are roaming around with arms in Gazipur in a bid to manipulate the election result, he said.
Under these circumstances, there was no alternative but to deploy the army in the area to ensure free and fair polls, he said.
The EC should take immediate steps for army deployment the area, he added.
-With The Independent input
