Awami League looted 'Tk 900bn in 15 years', alleges BNP's Mirza Fakhrul

He called for a collective effort to 're-establish democracy and accountability'

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has accused the Awami League of looting Tk 900 billion during their 15 years in power.

He decried rampant 'corruption, mismanagement, and money laundering' within the banking sector, asserting that it has left the national economy in shambles.

"In truth, they plundered all our national resources and funnelled them abroad.

Through various sources and media reports, we have learnt that they embezzled Tk 900 billion from both the banking sector and other domains from 2009 until now," he said at a media briefing on Friday.

Due to the absence of fresh investments, Bangladesh has failed to create new employment prospects, leading to a persistent cycle of poverty for the underprivileged, and ever-widening income inequality, according to Fakhrul.

The BNP leader called for a collective effort to "re-establish democracy and accountability" and replace the current government with a non-partisan caretaker government to ensure free and fair elections.

He further criticised the government for presenting a misleading narrative of development through infrastructure projects, while allegations of corruption and irregularities have plagued the economy.

Fakhrul highlighted a recent loan scam of Tk 300 billion, labelling it the biggest in Bangladesh's history, and expressed concern over the economic slowdown.

The BNP leader underscored the importance of accountability for good governance and the rule of law in Bangladesh, arguing that the current government's lack of accountability jeopardises various aspects of society.

“As the fascist Awami League government isn’t accountable to the people, the country's economy, politics, culture and judicial system aren’t safe in their hands.”