BNP Standing Committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah yesterday said the belated circular announcing the appointment of the prime minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy as an honorary adviser to his mother was mysterious.
“Joy has been the prime minister’s adviser since she assumed office but why the circular was not issued back then is a mystery. The government should clarify why it suddenly became necessary to issue the circular at this particular period,” he said while addressing a discussion at National Press Club organised by Sadhinota Forum.
The circular came in the wake of BNP leaders’ calls seeking clarification from the government about Joy’s honorarium. Former posts, telecommunications and information technology minister Abdul Latif Siddique claimed Joy is paid around 2 lakh dollars a month for his advisory role. Rafiqul claimed he received a proposal to terminate then chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission Wazed Mia when the BNP was in power from 1991-96.
“When I was in charge of then Science and Technology Ministry, the then secretary brought the proposal to me and I was stunned. I talked to our chairperson and then premier Khaleda Zia about it, and the proposal was dismissed. Our chairperson is an individual who never believes in vengeance,” he said.
The BNP leader claimed the secretary who brought the proposal to him is now very close to the Awami League.
“But the government led by Sheikh Hasina is now filing cases in a row against Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman out of vengeance. This is the difference between the BNP and the Awami League,” he said.
The senior BNP leader said HT Imam, political affairs adviser to the prime minister, administered Chhatra League activists who operated mobile courts during the January 5 elections.
“The Election Commission was subservient to the interests of the government and had no power. HT Imam was the co-chairman of the commission at the time,” he said.
The BNP standing committee member said Khaleda Zia’s decision to boycott the election was right as HT Imam had revealed the inside story of the polls.
“Opposition leaders would not have got the chance today to speak if Khaleda Zia chose to contest the elections,” he added.