Khaleda forced me to join BNP, says Partex Group's Hashem

After figuring on the list of corrupt people, former BNP lawmaker and chairman of Partex Group MA Hashem Wednesday shifted the blame on former prime minister Khaleda Zia, saying she had forced him to join her party.

Dhaka, March 28 (bdnews24.com) - Former BNP lawmaker and leading businessman MA Hashem Wednesday shifted blame on former prime minister Khaleda Zia, saying she forced him to join her party.

"I was forced by Khaleda Zia to join her party, BNP," he claimed. Hashem said he had no intention of joining politics.

Hashed is alleged to made windfalls using his political clouts for doing businees and figures on the list of corrupt businessmen and politicians.

"I won't do politics anymore. Joining politics was the greatest mistake in my life," Hashem, chairman of Partex Group, told journalists at the planning ministry.

"I have everything, I don't need to indulge in corruption to make money," Hashem said.

Journalists grilled him when they found him with a delegation of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) that came to attend a pre-budget consultation meeting with the finance and planning adviser AB Mirza Azizul Islam.

About the corrupt persons' list, Hashem said: "I was not surprised...I have lots of enemies who might have done this intentionally."

"Why should I indulge in corruption?" he asked.

"I have everything. I have to listen to complaints on corruptions as I have money," he said.

Hashem's name figured on a list of corrupt persons published in the newspapers this month. Although the list is attributed to the ACC, the corruption watchdog has never owned it up. Earlier in February, the ACC released a list of 50 people, mostly politicians.

Although he vowed not to join BNP or Awami League anymore, the businessman said he might join politics if good people come.

"I will do join if I get Imandari (honest) politics," Hashem said.

Hashem denied his involvement in the business syndicate popularly believed to be manipulating the market mechanism, especially commodity prices.

He said the so-called syndicate is a bogus thing. "Business is open for all...anyone can do it," was his answer to a query.

But he said there might be middlemen who take benefits from the market.

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