The BNP has raised questions about the source of the funds the Awami League is spending in organising its 20th National Council.
Hinting at the decorations at Suhrawardy Udyan, where the council will be held, BNP Vice-Chairman Abdullah Al Noman on Wednesday said, “A huge council, a spectacle of a council. There is even a huge gate as they are spending millions of taka.
“What I have seen in the account of the Awami League’s council is a matter of millions of taka. None of us know of the source of this money.”
He was making his remarks while speaking at a discussion at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity on Wednesday.
The BNP has been alleging that the ruling party has made a ‘mountain of wealth through looting’.
Noman claimed that people were also having doubts about the Awami League’s council. He told the ruling party, “Do a survey, then you will know what the people think. People see the gate of the venue and get frustrated, thinking their money is being used for this council.
“What people think is that this council is being organised with money that has roots in corruption.”
The BNP leader said World Bank President Jim Yong Kim during his Dhaka visit, which ended Tuesday, had also talked about curbing corruption in Bangladesh.
Noman, however, said he as a politician wished the Awami League success on its council session.
“We hope this council will take the initiative to establish democracy in the country, which is a wish of the people.”
But he went on to compare the BNP’s situation with the ruling party’s current one. “We weren’t even able to confirm the venue to our councilors because we weren’t given permission to organise our council anywhere.
“That’s why we couldn’t even mention the name of the venue on our posters.”
“But eventually we were given the Institute of Engineers. We had asked for permission to use a part of the Suhrawardy Udyan, but that didn’t happen,” Noman said.
“But preparations for the Awami League’s council began 15 days ago. The Awami League’s attitude towards the BNP is intolerable.”
The ruling party’s two-day council will get underway at Suhrawardy Udyan on Oct 22.
Noman on Wednesday also threatened that the BNP would launch a tough movement if it was not permitted to organise a rally at the same venue on Nov 7.