Motive behind universal pension scheme is to steal public money: Fakhrul

BNP on Friday alleged that the government has launched the universal pension scheme as part of its trick to steal public money and use it in the next election.

“Awami League has depleted Bangladesh’s resources by indulging in plundering. They have taken another trick to steal people’s money in the name of the pension scheme. They want to steal that money to hold the next election,” he said.

The BNP leader, however, said the country’s people will no longer allow the government to plunder their money.

He made the remarks while addressing a rally prior to bringing out a mass procession in the city’s Doyaganj areas arranged by BNP’s Dhaka south city unit.

Fakhrul urged the government to quit with dignity by handing over power to a non-party neutral government, paving the way for holding the next polls in a free and fair manner.

Or else, he said the country’s people know very well how to remove a fascist and autocratic regime as they did in 1952, 1969, 1971, and 1990. “Be careful, now it‍‍`s your turn (to be ousted). So, step down immediately by accepting the demand of the people."

The BNP leader slammed the government for oppressing the opposition leaders and activists and arresting them in false cases. “The entire country has apparently become a jail. They arrested our many leaders out of fear of losing power.”

Later, Fakhrul together with party senior leaders, including standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, senior joint secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Dhaka south city unit convener Abdus Salam, and acting member secretary Tanveer Ahmed Robin brought out a procession with the participation of thousands of party leaders and workers. The procession ended at the Khilgaon intersection after parading through different roads.

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas inaugurated the Dhaka north city unit BNP’s mass procession near the DNCC marker in the city’s Gulshan-1 area.

Apart from BNP, Ganotantra Mancha, Jatiyatabadi Samamona Jote, LDP, Gonoforum and People’s Party, Peshajibi Ganatantrik Jote, Gonotantrik Bam Oikya, 12-party alliance, Labour Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Monju), NDM, Bangladesh Sadaran Chhatra Odhikar Sanrakshan Parishad and two factions of Gono Odhikar Parishad also brought out processions separately in different areas of the capital.

A similar programme was also held in all metropolitan cities arranged by BNP and other opposition parties.

This was the fourth programme of the opposition‍‍`s one-point movement with the goal to remove Awami League from power.

On July 12 last, BNP and the like-minded parties announced their one-point movement to realise their demands.