Dhaka, July 18 (UNB) – The main opposition BNP on Wednesday blamed the Prime Minister for the killing of Rajshahi University unit BCL activist Sohel Rana over collecting money for Padma Bridge.

“The PM can’t skip the responsibility for the murder of the RU student in a fight over extorted money in the name of Padma Bridge...toll collection from people has started across the country after the announcement of the PM’s Padma Bridge construction plan,“ BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.

He came up with the allegation at a discussion organised by Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas) at the National Press Club.

Rajshahi University unit BCL activist Sohel Rana, 23, suffered bullet wounds during a gunfight between rival factions over fund collection for the bridge early Monday and died at a hospital in the capital on Tuesday.

Fakhrul said a toll collection spree is going on allover the country after the Prime Minister’s announcement of building the Padma Bridge with own fund that led to the Killing of Sohel. “Even the RU VC opened toll collection on the campus cutting a ribbon.”

After the annulment of a $1.2 billion loan for the Padma Bridge project by the World Bank, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in parliament laid out the plan to construct the mega bridge with own fund.

Crticising the PM and her cabinet members for their continued scathing attack on the WB, Fakhrul said, “Though the WB cancelled the deal for corruption by the government, the PM and her ministers are speaking in a way so that the WB has indulged in corruption and the government has done a great job.”   

He said the government knows it very well that it is impossible to build the bridge with domestic fund but the ministers are drumming up it only to hush up their corruption and divert people’s attention from their wrongdoings.

Lending his support to the WB decision, the BNP acting secretary general said the government maligned the whole nation only to save one minister.

Referring to the PM’s remarks that she would not bow to any unjust act, Fakhrul said, “Is taking action against corrupt is bowing to injustice? “You won’t be able to make people fool and confused by making such remarks,“ he said pointing at the PM.     

The BNP leader also accused the government of destroying all the democratic institutions in a planned way only to cling to power against people’s will.

He also expressed deep concern over the soaring prices of basic commodities ahead of Ramadan, causing immense sufferings to people.

At another function, BNP stalwart Moudud Ahmed said the opposition alliance will launch a harsher nonstop movement after Eid-ul-Fitr to force the government to restore the caretaker government system.

“A vigorous movement will be launched after Eid and it’ll be continued until the government restores the CG system amending the constitution,” Moudud told a reception programme organized by Narsingdi District Jatiyatabadi Forum in Dhaka. It accorded the reception to BNP’s education affairs secretary Khairul Kabir Khokan and former MP of the district.

Speaking as the chief guest at the programme, Moudud asked the BNP leaders and activists to get ready to intensify the movement.

The BNP leader said the government scrapped the CG system fearing a miserable defeat in the next general election if it is held under the nonparty administration.

He, however, believes that the government finally reinstates the polls-time interim administration for the sake of its existence.