By Sumi Khan
Dhaka, Jan 28 (IANS): Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that when the opposition BNP were in power, they financed terrorism and destroyed the country.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday, she further asked the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to explain the source of millions of dollars it gave to lobbyists as part of their funding for militancy and anti-state conspiracy.
The Prime Minister criticised the BNP-Jamaat alliance, saying that they tarnished the image of the country by looting the nation's wealth and employing lobbyists abroad with that money.
"But I have confidence and trust in the people of the country that they will not be misled by any untrue propaganda and lies. The country is moving forward, it must move forward.
"The BNP has to answer and explain from where they have got millions of dollars to give foreign firms and how the money has been siphoned off abroad," she added.
Hasina claimed the lobbyists have been hired by BNP to prevent the trial of war criminals, thwart elections, make polls questionable, protect militants and killers of the Father of the Nation, tarnish the country's image and prevent its progress.
The BNP had hired six lobbyists in the US to stop the trial of Bangabandhu's assassination, stop the trial of war criminals, and spread propaganda against the country, including propaganda against the RAB.
The Prime Minister also said Bangladesh became a "champion in corruption" for five times during the tenure of the BNP-Jamaat alliance.
"After coming to power, we tried our best to develop the country... We were able to handle the economy during the Covid pandemic, whereas in big countries like the US, 2.5 million people fell below the poverty line," she said.
Not mentioning the name, Hasina also added that a well-known supporter of BNP had lobbied for the closure of the Padma Bridge and stopped the World Bank loan.
"But we have been able to build the Padma bridge with our own funds. This decision has taken Bangladesh to a very high level in the world. It is our pride. We will become a developed and prosperous country in 2041."