‘Mega’ corruption, plundering by govt behind loadshedding: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday alleged that the county’s people are going through suffering caused by frequent power outages due to ‘mega’ corruption and plundering by the government.

“Bangladesh has now the capacity to generate much more power than it needs. But why loadshedding are occurring now? The reason behind is mega corruption and theft,” said Fakhrul.

Speaking at a public rally, he alleged that thousands of crores of taka have been paid to 10 companies as capacity charges though they did not produce any power since the government signed such deals with quick-rental and other power plants, reports UNB.

Dhaka South City unit BNP arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club protesting the ongoing loadshedding, mismanagement in the energy sector and the hikes in fuel and gas prices.

Fakhrul said a fund was created taking surcharge from people for offshore gas exploration. “It’s alarming that the government has taken around 25,00 crores taka from that fund to buy gas (from abroad). “This is another trickery and robbery.”

He alleged that on the one hand, the ruling party leaders siphoned off thousands of crores of taka abroad in the name of electricity production, on the other hand, the Awami League-backed businessmen made huge money by importing LNG and LPG gas as fuel. “In this way, they are ruining the economy of the country.”

Referring to a media report the BNP leader said some public universities have started enrolling students before constructing their infrastructure. “It’s also alarming. You have seen the corruption in the acquisition of land for Chandpur University by the relatives of the Education Minister. Such corruption is going on everywhere.”

He said the ruling party leaders are involved in all sorts of theft, robbery and misdeeds. “Their only goal is to plunder money and destroy everything in the country. The government is confusing people through the myth of development.”

Fakhrul called upon the BNP leaders and activists to prepare for a one-point movement to ensure the fall of the government.