Govt seeking foreign loans everywhere to run country as economy not in dignity: Mosharraf

When the government is looking for foreign loans here and there to run the country, BNP senior leader Khankader Mosharraf Hossain on Friday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina tried to hide the reality by telling the international community that Bangladesh’s economy has a dignified position.

"Going to Geneva, our usurper Prime Minister said that our country‍‍`s economy is in a dignified position… the truth can never be suppressed for long with hollow words this way. As we know the economy of Bangladesh, the whole world also knows it," he said.

Speaking at a discussion meeting, the BNP leader said the government is ‘begging’ foreign loans from different countries and international lending agencies to run the country while the import is being halted for lack of dollars.

Mosharraf, also a BNP standing committee member, said that the people have been facing terrible load-shedding as the government is unable to import fuel and energy for running the power plants.   

"Everyone knows the condition of our economy. Inflation is growing, the dollar crisis is acute, commodity prices are continuously going up, and export earnings and remittances are dwindling amid the forex reserve crunch. These are the realities. Then how can the PM claim that the economy of Bangladesh is now in a dignified position?” he observed.

Speaking at an event of the World Economic Forum at its office in Geneva on Thursday, PM Hasina said Bangladesh now holds an economically dignified position in the world due to the continuation of democracy and stability in the country since 2009.

BNP Media Cell arranged the discussion at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), marking the ‘Black Day of Newspapers’.

On 16 June 1974, the then Awami League government shut down all the newspapers, except four loyal to it. A group of journalists has long been observing the day as a ‘Black Day’ commemorating the closure of the newspapers.

Mosharraf said there is no other alternative to ousting the current Awami League regime from power through a strong movement to get rid of the current economic and political crises.

“There will never be a free and fair election in Bangladesh if the current regime stays in power. BNP has already announced it would not go to elections under this government. The people of Bangladesh also believe that just as there were no fair elections in the past under the Awami League government, there won’t be any in the future either,” he said.

 The BNP leader also said their party will not fall into any trap of the government this time no matter how hard the ruling party tries. “We must unseat this regime by creating a mass upsurge.”

He also said the ruling party leaders are making contradictory remarks on various issues as they have got nervous in fear of losing power.