AL needs to try its corrupt leaders now, CPB says after Khaleda’s conviction

The Awami League risks Khaleda Zia’s conviction clouded with controversy if its leaders involved in corruption are not tried, the Communist Party of Bangladesh warns.

CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim spoke to bdnews24.com on Thursday hours after a Dhaka special judge’s court sentenced the BNP chief to five years in jail for graft.

“We want a country free of corruption and all the people involved in graft need to stand trial no matter what political party they belong to,” he said.

“Khaleda Zia has been punished for corruption involving Tk 21 million. But there are many ruling party leaders and others charged with corruption worth billions of taka.

“The government must act against corruption committed by the scores of ruling party people to prove that Khaleda Zia has been punished for corruption, not for being a political rival,” added the president of the CPB, once an ally of the Awami League.

He also asked why the government ‘was not trying’ those involved in financial scams, like those related to the Farmers Bank and Hall-Mark Group.

Nazmul Haque Prodhan MP, a leader of a faction of the Awami League’s partner Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, also demanded trial of those involved in financial scams.

Shirin Akhter MP, general secretary of the other JaSoD faction, however, said, “It’s a verdict on a corruption case. A court has delivered it. So no one from any political party has anything to do with it.”

She said the trial process of the former prime minister was transparent.

But Bangaldesher Samajtantrik Dal or BaSaD General Secretary Khalequzzaman fears the conviction will heighten the tension between the two main political parties and influence the environment of the next general elections scheduled by the end of this year.