Govt harbours militancy: BNP
STAFF REPORTER
The BNP yesterday accused the Awami League (AL)-led government of encouraging extremism and militancy in the country in order to cling to power by any means.
This government wants to stay in power by any means. Hence, its patronising extremism and militancy in the country, said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a press conference, organised to give the partys formal reaction to the proposed budget for FY 2016-17, at the Gulshan office of the BNP chairperson.
He expressed deep concern over the recent killings, claiming that the number of secret killings is increasing as the government has failed to control it and uncover the mysteries behind the incidents. The BNP leader alleged that the government has been creating this instability to cling to power.
Terming the proposed budget as highly ambitious as well as traditional, Fakhrul said that it cannot be implemented by what an unelected government. He said the budget is not intended for the development and welfare of the people, adding that it will force the people to bear the burden of additional taxes.
The BNPs official reaction to the national budget came six days after it was placed in Parliament. Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith had placed the proposed budget of Tk. 340,605 crore for FY 201617 in Parliament on June 2.
Focusing on the various inconsistencies in the proposed budget, Fakhrul said only a parliament formed through a free, fair and participatory poll can approve a budget tailored to to the welfare of the people. This parliament does not have those characteristics. We do hope that a genuine parliament comprising the peoples representatives will be formed in the country. A fair and impartial national election is needed for this to happen, he added.
An illegal government cant give a pro-people budget, he said.
In the written statement of the partys views on the budget, Fakhrul said the VAT target is 35 per cent higher and that people would suffer more if they have to pay more VAT. He called upon finance minister AMA Muhith to resolve the issue of high VAT in his budget proposal in order to make a transparent budget for the next fiscal year. Terming the proposed budget target of Tk. 3,40,000 crore as improbable, the BNP leader said there would be a rise in the expenditure in the healthcare sector if the proposed budget is implemented.
He condemned the killing of a Hindu priest in Jhenaidah, saying that a total of 48 people were killed in the last 18 days and the government has failed to control terrorism and militancy in the country. The opposition is being blamed for these killings without any probe. The perpetrators are being kept safe. Because of this, the number of killings is increasing day by day, he observed.
He said that the finance minister is highly ambitious in terms of collecting revenues, but there would be a deficit in achieving the target. Whatever reason for imposing tax is shown in the proposed budget, the people have to bear the burden of additional taxes. But its not clear what they would get in return, he added.
The BNP secretary general suggested that the government should identify higher-income people and collect huge amounts of revenue from them. Its unfortunate that no such creative effort is being taken, he lamented. Replying to a question, Fakhrul said that the budget would have a negative impact on the people since it has been passed by a government that was not elected by the people.
He also said that those who are running the country have no accountability and there is a domesticated opposition in Parliament. This domesticated opposition cant oppose anything in Parliament, he added.
Criticising the finance minister for his comments that BNP is not a political party, the BNP leader said that AMA Muhith is not a politician and has become a minister while he was a bureaucrat. Fakhrul said that such remarks from the minister are unexpected and expressed hope that he would withdraw his comments.
Standing committee member Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the government would fail to implement the budget, just as it has failed to implement the budget of the current fiscal year. There is a political stalemate in the countrythe government has no confidence in the people and the people also have no faith in the government. Hence, its not possible for the government to carry out any work towards the welfare of the people, he added.
Fakhrul suspected that though the government has given the highest allocation to education and technology, it might be a trick. He criticised the government for imposing tax at source on the garments industry and asked it to reconsider imposing additional tax on mobile phone usage.
