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AL to rid TI tag if voted to power

Says Jalil, sees conspiracy in first-time branding

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
The main opposition Awami League (AL) yesterday said it will take measurers to bring back the money siphoned out of the country through massive corruption by the BNP-Jamaat coalition government if it comes to power again.
At a press briefing at the Dhanmondi party office, AL leaders said they will bring to justice the corrupt ministers, MPs and bureaucrats of the coalition and their family members, because of whom Bangladesh has been perceived as the most corrupt country in the world for the fifth consecutive time.
They said they will restore the image of the country by ridding it of the
brand of “the most corrupt country.”
“Bangladesh has been recognised as the most corrupt country for four consecutive years during the BNP-Jamaat coalition rule, which has brought shame to the nation,” AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil said at the press briefing.
He said both BNP and Jamaat and the prime minister herself promised before the 2001 elections to build a corruption-free country. “But now corruption has become the main policy of the government,” Jalil added.
“There is no sector where the government and its avaricious ministers and MPs have not laid their ugly hands. Trade, foreign investment, making lists for distribution of VGF cards and relief, even tenders for construction of toilets in the city--none has escaped their corruption,” Jalil said.
He said the ministers of the coalition are engaged in corruption in purchasing textbooks, wheat, fertiliser, sugar and jet fuel, smuggling gold, running hundi business and illegally allocating land for setting up CNG stations.
Describing the government as “completely failed”, Jalil said the coalition has given corruption “an institutional shape”.
He also alleged that a certain Bhaban has become the centre of all corruption now as projects, businesses, bank loans, promotion and posting in government jobs cannot secure approval without giving “a percentage” to them.
Mentioning the name of a son of the prime minister, Jalil claimed that the top brass of the ruling coalition has been siphoning thousands of crore taka abroad, plundering the taxes paid by the people.
He said cases have been filed and notices for seizure of property have been issued against poor farmers in the name of collecting repayment of agriculture loans, while Tk 250 crore, including Tk 40 crore of interest against bank loans, of the PM's family members is exempted.
Jalil said, “The allegation is not ours alone. The MPs and grassroots level leaders of BNP have several times alleged that their ministers are embezzling people's money. BNP ministers and MPs have locked in altercation in parliament, blaming each other for corruption,” he said.
Terming the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) an “ineffective institution”, Jalil said the government has set up the ACC with their loyalists.
On Bangladesh's being branded the most corrupt country during the final year of AL's term also, Jalil said the Transparency International Bangladesh was influenced by the then opposition chief to publish that report to tarnish the image of the then government.
Among others, AL Presidium members Matia Chowdhury, Tofail Ahmed, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, AL Joint General Secretary Obaidul Quader, city AL General Secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya were also present at the press briefing.