BNP for action against loan defaulters

BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Sunday said their party is waiting to see what action the government takes against those top loan defaulters whose names were unveiled in parliament, reports UNB.

“The names of 300 top loan defaulters were placed in parliament on Saturday. They’re not repaying around Tk 510 billion of people,” he said.

Speaking at a discussion, he further said, “We want to see what action the government now takes against those loan defaulters who siphoned off money depleting banks and people’s pockets.”

Democratic Movement, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club.

On Saturday, finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal placed in parliament the list of 300 top loan defaulters of the country involving Tk 509.42 billion.

Responding to a question by ruling party MP Israfil Alam, he also said the defaulters took loans from all banks and financial institutions of the public and private sector.

Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, said the number of loan defaulters is growing in the country as there is no discipline in the banking sector since ruling party men tactfully ‘captured’ the banks.

He also said the ruling party men are controlling the banks as the government politicised the sector.

“There’re bank laws and rules to take action against loan defaulters, but there’s no execution of those. Had the laws been enforced and proper steps taken, the loan defaulters wouldn’t have refrained from repaying Tk 510 billion.”

About the proposed budget, the ex-BNP minister said it is an ‘unusual budget placed by an ‘unusual’ government. “This budge has been framed for the government beneficiaries, not for people.”

He also said the income inequality will widen while the common people’s sufferings increase if the budget is implemented.

The BNP leader also said the government is collecting huge amount of money from common and poor people by hiking the tariffs of utility services and widening the VAT net. “Revenue is being generated even from the marginalised people in the name of VAT.”

He alleged that the scope for whitening black money has been kept in the budget to allow the ruling party men and the government backed business men legalise their ill-gotten money.