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BNP institutionalised corruption: info minister

Bss, ctg
Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday said BNP leaders should thank Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her stance against corruption and apologise to people for their misdeeds during BNP regimes.
Expressing the government's firm resolve to take stern action against corruption, the minister said BNP gave an institutional shape to corruption through "Hawa Bhaban".
They [BNP] made Bangladesh champion in corruption five consecutive times during their regimes, he added.
"BNP chief Khaleda Zia and her former finance minister Saifur Rahman whitened black money... her son Tarique Rahman started 10 percent commission system for every business," the minister told journalists after addressing a reception of Senior Citizen Society (SCS) as chief guest.
The event was held at Bangabandhu Auditorium in Chattogram Press Club in the afternoon.
Dr Mahmud, also the publicity and publication secretary of the ruling party, said Awami League started the "zero tolerance
policy" soon after it came to power in 2009. As part of that, drives against corruption are going on across the country.
"No one involved [in corruption] will be spared," he said, adding that BNP leaders, who "brought shame to the country", have no ethical right to speak on this issue.
Replying to a query on Khaleda Zia's health, Dr Mahmud said hers is a prolonged physical problem.
"With these problems, she was the prime minister, leader of the opposition and led a party like BNP for a long time," the minister added.
He said BNP is trying to make it an issue even though she is being provided with utmost medical facilities as the government is aware of her health condition.
"Khaleda is being treated in a specialised hospital like Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University with competent physicians and medical staff," he said.
A physiotherapist and nurse were looking after her round the clock when she was in jail and at present, she has her house help with her — an unprecedented example in the history of the sub-continent, the minister claimed.
Earlier, speaking at the reception, the minister said the present government has been striving to make the country a social and welfare state.
Keeping that in view, the prime minister has introduced allowances for the elderly and destitute.
The amount is being increased every year, he added.
SCS president and editor of the Daily Azadi MA Malek presided over the event, addressed by Chattogram city Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, SCS secretary general Mohammad Abu Bakar Siddique, and Lion M Shamsul Huque, as well as award recipients AMM Zia Hossain, Dr Pranab Kumar Barua, Mahbub Uddin Ahmed and Begum Mustari Shafi, among others.