Benazir leaves country under govt’s patronisation: Fakhrul

Former inspector general of police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed left the country under the patronisation of the government, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged.

“How does a person like the former IGP leave the country without the understanding of the government?” he asked while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion in the capital on Saturday (June 1).

“How Benazir left the country along with his family members on May 4? Before leaving the country, he made his bank accounts empty. Some Tk 60 crore were there in the bank accounts of Benazir, wife, and daughters. The figure may be more or less. My question is how did he leave the country?”

Referring to the Awami League leaders’ claims of not sparing wrongdoers” Fakhrul said their claims about former army chief Aziz Ahmed and police chief Benazir Ahmed were nothing but mere “eyewash and deception.”

“What is the significance of a court order to confiscate his assets and freeze his bank accounts and the Anti-Corruption Commission’s move to file a case against him? When he was told he wouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere, how did he sneak off to Singapore right under the government’s nose?” he asked.

“The Awami League leaders think that people are foolish, and it is easy to make them confused. But, people understand everything. You have tried to deceive people as you have running the country through cheating,” he said.

The discussion was organised by Bangladesh Sanmilito Peshajibi Parishad in observance of the 43rd anniversary of death of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman at Jatiya Press Club.

The BNP leader also alleged that not only a single Aziz or Benazir, they (government) created many Aziz and Benazir. They have turned the country into “an empire of looting.”

The party secretary general said, “Don’t think that BNP has died. We’re fighting, dying and sacrificing. We’ve not retreated. BNP has started afresh. The party leaders and workers are struggling ignoring the adverse situation. Our struggle will continue until we achieve victory.”

Fakhrul also remined that India did not achieve its independence overnight. Pakistan also did not come into existence overnight. Bangladesh was not born in just a single day. “We had to struggle for long 25 years for the independence of Bangladesh. We have struggled just for 15 years. But, don’t think that we have got defeated.”

Terming their struggle as “not an ordinary struggle,” the BNP secretary general said it is a struggle of democratic forcees against fascism. Hundreds of leaders and workers of the party laid down their lives over the last several years taking part in democratic struggles.

“False and fabricated cases have been filed against our 60 lakh activists. You may say that success is not coming. But, success doesn’t come in one day. Our struggle continues through the adverse situation,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul also said BNP would never deviate from its targetted goal. “Strategies may be changed. But, we have strated working adopting new strategies. Our victory is inevitable. We have been fighting remaining sticked to truth and justice. Victory will definitely come.”