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Abul is a corrupt, shameless man

Says BNP; other party leaders expected him to resign much earlier

Staff Correspondent
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's remarks on Syed Abul Hossain's resignation have drawn flak from the main opposition BNP as it termed the former communications minister a “corrupt and shameless person.”
The comment, however, prompted
mixed reactions from the ruling Awami League and its allies.
Talking to journalists in London on Thursday, Hasina said Abul had shown courage by resigning from the cabinet even though the World Bank could not provide any “concrete evidence” of his FROM PAGE 1
involvement in corruption in the Padma bridge project. "He has guts; he has patriotism.... That's why he could resign.”
"Abul Hossain is not a patriot. Rather, he is a shameless person as he quit 10 months after the World Bank made the allegation of corruption against him,” BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain told a seminar at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.
Denouncing her remarks, Mosharraf said the prime minister has been batting for a corrupt person and she will not be able to idealise the person who has tarnished the country's image in the international arena.
"If anyone can become a patriot by indulging in corruption, then the definition of patriotism will have to be changed. The prime minister should have called him [Abul] 'shameless',” he mentioned.
Another BNP standing committee member Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah said the premier should follow the example set by Abul Hossain to prove her patriotism, reports UNB.
“Sheikh Hasina is a corrupt prime minister and she also should set an example by quitting her post,” he told a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club.
Many leaders of AL and its allies expressed frustration over the prime minister's remarks and fell embarrassed to talk about it.
"We are frustrated at the prime minister's comment on a controversial man,” an AL leader told The Daily Star, preferring not to be named.
When the party chief backs Abul I lossain, the others have nothing to say, he added.
Echoing Hasina's views, AL acting general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said,
"Syed Abul Hossain has stepped down for the sake of the country.... He loves the country.”
He was addressing a discussion of Swechchhasebak League at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB).
The AL leader slammed BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for accusing the government for the alleged corruption in Padma bridge project.
“He [Alamgir] made pointless remarks by claiming that the resignation of Syed Abul I lossain from the cabinet proves the corruption charge,” said I lanif, also a special assistant to the prime minister.
REACTIONS OF OTHER LEADERS
Mahmudur Rahman Manna, convenor of a newly formed civil society platform Nagorik Oikko, questioned as to why the premier had to brand a person as patriot and why this certificate had to be given in London?
If the former communications minister had guts, as claimed by I lasina, he would have resigned when allegation of corruption was made against him, he said.
When Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj resigned as state minister for home and later as a lawmaker, the premier did not brand him as patriot or said he has guts, noted Manna, an ex-organising secretary of AL. "If anyone in the present government showed guts, it was Sohel Taj.”
He, however, said Abul Hossain has done good for the country by stepping down.
Workers Party of Bangladesh President Rashed Khan Menon said Abul has resigned "for the sake of national interest.”
“We had urged him earlier to resign for maintaining transparency and it
would have been better had he resigned earlier,” he mentioned.
Menon, however, did not comment on the prime minister's remarks on Abul I lossain.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu said only the people can certify a political leader as a patriot.
Had Abul Hossain resigned earlier, the government could be successful to get the loan from the World Bank, he told this newspaper.
Chief of Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Janata League Abdul Kader Siddique said people did not expect such a comment from the prime minister. "Her comment shows lack of accountability in our democracy.”
Anwar Hossain Manju, chairman of Jatiya Party (Manju), said the prime minister could make such a comment if she was convinced that the allegations made against Abul Hossain were "fictitious.”
Former Dhaka University (DU) vice-chancellor Prof Emajuddin Ahmed questioned, if Abul Hossain is a patriot, then who is not?
The premier's support for him will give a message to people that "the plunderer of public money” has legitimate right to be in a political party, added the formerVC.
Prof A A M S A r e f i n Siddique, incumbent VC of DU, said the prime minister has appreciated the resignation of the minister, which is an example to show respect for democracy.
The World Bank in September last year had suspended its $1.2 billion credit for the S2.97 billion Padma bridge project making allegation of corruption.
The lead financier cancelled the funding last month.