‘We’re ready to drink tea if PM accepts our demand of neutral govt’: Fakhrul
“We’re ready to drink tea if the prime minister [Sheikh Hasina] accepts our demand of an election-time neutral government,” he said while speaking at a discussion at Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Sunday (July 24).
The discussion on “Bleak situation in power and energy sector: Consequences of corruption and looting” was organised by Association of Engineers Bangladesh (AEB).
Responding to a query of a journalist, Fakhrul said, “The prime minister said she would entertain us with tea if we go to the prime minister’s office (PMO). But, before it, make commitment that a neutral government system will take over power. If it is done, we will go for drinking tea. What’s the problem? The election-time neutral government is the only solution to the current political impasse in Bangladesh.”
The BNP leader lamented saying that the government has made all the arrangements to generate electricity, but it hasn’t made any arrangement how the energy for generating power would come from. The government has not devised any plan for energy sources. The power crisis has appeared in the country due to lack of an energy plan in the country.
Fakhrul observed that the Sheikh Hasina led government is turning Bangladesh into Singapore though people of the country can’t eat rice twice daily and 42 per cent people live below the poverty line. “You have developed the ‘Begum Para’ in Canada for your safety and made ‘second homes’ in the United States and United Kingdom. This is the real face of Awami League government.”
The BNP Secretary General said people in rural areas face acute load-shedding of power. They go through 6 to 7 hours of load-shedding everyday. There is less load-shedding of power in urban areas. It is done to make urban people happy because they make much hue and cry, and oppose the government steps.
“Those who are engaged in agricultural activities in rural areas and produce crops, they are deprived of electricity keeping in darkness hours after hours. So, what will be the consequences? Food production will decline. Paddy production will fall. Food security will face threat. It will ultimately lead to fall of the government,” he said.
The BNP leader said the principal objective of the mega projects is ‘mega corruption.’ Bangladesh’s economy is now facing dire consequences due to mega looting in mega projects. “If you talk to them, you will get an impression that they have built paradises in the country. They also claim the mega projects as the ‘role model of development.’ But, remittance has now started declining. You will face a dire situation. Now you have started making insane remarks.”
Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said she would offer BNP leaders tea if they come to besiege her office (Prime Minister’s Office).
“I will listen to them – whatever they want to say. I believe in democracy,” she said while speaking at a meeting of Awami League’s Dhaka North and South units.
Fakhrul said they are in talks with political parties to forge unity for ensuring the fall of the Awami League government.
“We must be united to get rid of the awful regime. I urge the country’s people to get united for defeating the current government through a street movement and thus materealise the dreams of the country’s Liberation War,” he said.
