Jatiya Party MP Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu yesterday told parliament that the Awami League’s post-1990 “mistake” resuscitated the BNP that has now emerged as a “banyan tree.”
Bablu, the secretary general of the opposition, said JaPa could have been in the BNP’s place had the party been given a level-playing field in 1991 elections.
“There was no level playing field in the elections after the Jatiya Party [JaPa] handed over power in 1990. All of our leaders including me were sent to jail. We were not allowed to hold meetings and processions,” said Bablu.
He said the JaPa won 35 seats despite all obstacles and the party’s jailed chief HM Ershad won five seats without campaign.
“If Awami League played the right role, then the BNP would not be in today’s position; we would have occupied the BNP’s place... The Awami League’s lack of farsightedness has made the BNP into a banyan tree,” said Bablu.
Demanding a judicial inquiry into different financial scandals, the MPcriticised the finance minister for claiming that the Tk4,000 crore swindled by Hall-Mark group had been "nothing."