Khokon-Taposh rivalry exposes corruption inside government: Fakhrul

Pointing to the opposing statements of Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and former mayor Sayeed Khokon, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said the rampant corruption inside the present government has been exposed through their words.

Fakhrul made the comment in reply to a question at a press conference held at BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office in Dhaka on Sunday.

Former mayor Mohammad Sayeed Khokon on Saturday said Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has lost his eligibility for the post of mayor as he transfers crores of taka to his own Modhumoti Bank.

“Taposh has transferred hundreds of crores of taka from South City Corporation to his own Modhumoti Bank. Besides, by investing hundreds of crores of taka to the accounts of different individuals and organizations, he has taken crores of taka as profit,” said Khokon.

At the press conference, Fakhrul said, “Obaidul Quader’s brother’s speech and counter statements of mayor Taposh and Khokon have made the government’s face clear to the people. The looting that the Awami League has been carrying out after grabbing power for a decade has come to the fore in the recent statements of the leaders of the party.”

Fakhrul addressed the conference to disclose the decision of the standing committee members’ meeting held virtually on Saturday.  BNP will stage demonstration at district and city levels across the country on Wednesday protesting charge framing and arrest warrant against the party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

The BNP secretary general alleged that the government has failed to given any assurance on vaccinating countrymen yet and importing of it. He said so far, the government has not been able to fix a timeline for vaccination.

Blaming the government for doing corruption in vaccine issue, Fakhrul said, “There is no guarantee about import. Things are vague. Vaccines are a life saving substance. They are also corrupt with this vaccine. This government is irresponsible. It is also proved that there is no responsibility towards the people.”

BNP standing committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moin Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Sleima Rahman and Iqbal Hasan Mahmud attended the meeting with acting chairman Tarique Rahman in the chair.