admin
Awami League (AL) General Secretary Obaidul Quader stated today that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed will be brought back to Bangladesh if found guilty of corruption.
“The trial of Benazir Ahmed on graft charges will proceed even if he remains abroad. If he is convicted, he will be brought back. The government will not show any mercy,” Quader said during a press conference at the AL president’s political office in Dhanmondi.
Quader, who is also the Minister for Road Transport and Bridges, mentioned that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is currently investigating the allegations against Benazir Ahmed, following proper legal procedures.
“Why should the government bypass the ACC and act impulsively? The government will assess whether its anti-graft bodies have any shortcomings,” he remarked.
Responding to a statement by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Quader said, “An individual can commit corruption, but what matters is how the government addresses it. I ask Mirza Fakhrul: who from the government sent Benazir abroad? Who saw him off at the airport? Which government authorities were involved?”
Quader emphasized that since 1975, no ruler or government had shown the courage to take action against the corrupt until Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government.
He criticized the BNP, stating that during their tenure, the culture of money laundering began in the country. “When BNP assumed power, its leaders indulged in illegal wealth accumulation. This is a well-known fact both domestically and internationally,” he added.
Quader recalled that when the BNP came to power in 2001, they institutionalized corruption, making Bangladesh the top country for corruption five years in a row. He pointed out that Tarique Rahman, the convicted fugitive and BNP acting chairman, lives a luxurious life abroad after siphoning off millions of Taka.
At the beginning of the press conference, Quader in his written speech noted that corruption exists in all countries but asserted that neither Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina nor her government tolerate graft. He highlighted Sheikh Hasina’s global recognition as an absolutely honest politician, attributing her popularity to her industrious and honest lifestyle.
AL Organizing Secretary Sujit Roy Nandi, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Abdus Sabur, and Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan were also present at the press conference.
