BNP senior leader Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan on Monday attributed Bangladesh's failure to gain membership of BRICS to a 'diplomatic failure' on the part of the government.
“This government has not only failed economically but also diplomatically. As a result, the government went to South Africa boasting that it would be a member of BRICS. But our most friendly country (India) that took the major decision on the membership expansion of BRICS rejected our entry,” he said.
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The 5-nation BRICS grouping (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) during its most recent summit in Johannesburg invited six new countries to join the alliance, in which Bangladesh was not included. At least 20 countries, including Bangladesh, had reportedly applied for membership in the build up to the summit.
Speaking at a discussion, the BNP leader said it is appreciable that the government has taken many mega projects and implemented many of them over the last 15 years. “Why shouldn’t I appreciate them for their good works? But I also have to talk about the mega corruption that happened in the name of the mega projects.”
He said the government cannot deny the reality that lakhs of crores of taka have been siphoned abroad through corruption, depleting Bangladesh's economy.
Dr Moyeen Khan, a former science and technology minister and presently BNP standing committee member, also said Bangladesh was not included in the membership expansion of BRICS due to the country's fragile economic condition. “That's the reality and that's the truth."
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He said it is now uncertain when the new generation will see Bangladesh as a member of BRICS. "But we can say it is shameful the way the world is rejecting us, Bangladesh has not been given membership (of BRICS).
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Projonmo 71, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and holding the next election under a polls-time neutral government.
Dr Moyeen opposed the High Court directive asking the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove all speeches and video content of BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman from social media platforms. “Why are you so afraid of him? Why do you fear a man? Because he (Tarique) has reached the vast masses of Bangladesh, and this government is afraid of the people.”
He alleged that their party Chairperson Khaleda Zia was also sent to jail in ‘false’ cases as the government is scared of Begum Khaleda Zia since she talks about democracy.
The BNP leader accused the government of muzzling the voices of people by enacting different laws, including the Digital Security Act (DSA).
He said the government’s move to transform the DSA into the Cyber Security Act (CSA) is nothing but 'old wine in new bottles', to continue suppressing the people's voices.
Dr Moyeen warned that the government would no longer be able to snatch the people’s freedom of expression as all its black laws, misdeeds, deception and one-party politics will be washed away by the opposition’s peaceful movement.
Stating that their party (BNP) does not believe in the politics of violence and vengeance, he said they will force the current regime to quit through its peaceful movement.