BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday raised an allegation of corruption and nepotism against the government in giving the Independence Award.
"This government is so failed and incompetent that it has resorted to corruption regarding the Independence Award which was introduced by martyred president Ziaur Rahman," he said while speaking at a discussion.
The former BNP state minister said that the government nominated an infamous person named Amir Hamza for the award and later cancelled it.
"Who is he? Investigate the identities of other people whom you've given the award this time. Most of them are the relatives of ministers or the prime minister," he told the function.
In celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Independence, BNP's Sub-Committee on Medical and Services organized the program at the National Press Club.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed over the Independence Award 2022, the highest national civil award of the country, to nine distinguished individuals and two organizations in recognition of their outstanding contributions to their respective fields.
Fakhrul said that the government had taken plundering and corruption to such a level that there was now no alternative to ousting it from power to save the country.
He called upon all professionals and political parties to get united to remove the “fascist” regime through a fierce mass movement and establish a truly people's government.
He also said the Awami League government destroyed democracy and forced lakhs of people to leave their homes to avoid persecution.
"They're harassing our 35 lakh leaders and workers and pro-democracy people by filing false cases against them. They've made more than 600 people disappear and killed over a thousand ones. This is the true colour of Awami League."
