Fakhrul takes dig at AL, says now ‘bureaucrats running’ country

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said bureaucrats are now running the country.

Dhaka, Sept 3 : BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said bureaucrats are now running the country though Awami League is in power.

"If you go to the Dhaka DC office or that of other districts where the meetings of law-and-order committees or on development programmes are held, you'll see the bureaucrats playing the major role of Awami League," he said.

Speaking at a discussion, he also said the Awami League leaders are now nowhere in governing the country.  "Where’s Awami League? The role of Awami League is not visible now as everything is under a bureaucratic league or military, or police administration. This is the situation in Bangladesh now.”

Bangladesh Chhatra Forum and Uttaranchal Chhatra Forum arranged the programme marking the day when BNP's current acting chairman Tarique Rahman was released from jail in 2008.

Tarique, arrested on March 7 after the 1/11 political changeover, was released on bail on September 3 the following year.

Fakhrul said social crimes have increased in the country as law enforcement agencies are unable to maintain law and order.

"We see in newspapers that policemen are taking ransom and extorting money after kidnapping people. We also see police officers are being accused of rape...the IGP (Inspector General of Police) said now police will also do journalism," he said.

The BNP leader said police will now do journalism instead of arresting thieves and robbers and maintaining law and order. "It's part of a far-reaching move."

He voiced deep concern that the government is going to control social media after the mainstream media only to suppress the truth.

"Our Information Minister yesterday (Thursday) said all the TVs that are operated here on social media and from outside the country must take permission (from the government here). That means the government will now control those who speak for democracy and the truth through social media," Fakhrul said.

The BNP leader said the government has already ‘destroyed’ the freedom of the press and 'curtailed' freedom of speech through different laws, including the Digital Security Act. "They've already established a one-party rule under a different cover by snatching people's voting rights and the press freedom."

Fakhrul alleged that the government has been making unguarded comments against BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, his widow Khaleda Zia and their son Tarique Rahman to misguide people and divert their attention to a different direction from the government's failure to deliver on all fronts.

He said the Awami League government is trying to turn Bangladesh into a 'vassal' state, shattering all the dreams of people. “Basically, it is a puppet government.”

The BNP leader said the current government will not last long as it has isolated itself from people. "We must unite people and defeat this regime through a united movement,"reports UNB.