BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged the government forced its employees to take part in the official celebration of the UNESCO recognition of Bangabandhu’s 7th March speech by threatening them with ‘slashing their salaries’.
He also alleges the government threatened educational institutions with fund cuts if the teachers and students do not take part in the celebration.
The BNP leader was speaking at a discussion at a Dhaka hotel after the processions and rally at the Suhrawardy Udyan in the afternoon.
“The 7th March speech is certainly historic. It’s also good that the UNESCO has included the speech to a list. No one denies that,” Mirza Fakhrul said adding “But you are celebrating it after so many years when people are in misery.””Floods are about to hit the Haor areas of Sylhet and Sunamganj. Rice costs Tk 60 a kilogram again. You (govt) had said you would provide free fertiliser, which now costs three times more than before.
“And now you are sending letters to schools, threatening the teachers and students with cutting funds for their institutions if they don’t take part in the celebrations. You’ve threatened your employees with dismissal.
“You’ve sent letters to the government officials, stating their salary for five to six days will be slashed if they don’t take part in the celebrations,” The BNP leader said.
“…You are erecting the stages and delivering speeches from behind bulletproof glasses to say that Bangladesh is a role model of development,” he said.He alleged the ruling party was pocketing the money allocated for development projects.
“Only those, who are looting money by setting up some firms for the power sector, and from the megaprojects to build flyovers, expressways, are experiencing the development,” he said.
“Even some days ago, media reported that a few people are getting richer in Bangladesh while some others are going down below the poverty line,” he added.
Source: Bdnews24.