Jatiya Party (JaPa) and BNP on Wednesday came down heavily on the health and finance ministers for what they described as a failure to curb corruption and stop money laundering.
JaPa MP Pir Fazlur Rahman, while participating in the discussion on the proposed budget for FY22, initiated the attack on Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal for his lack of knowledge about launderers.
“The finance minister should know very well who are laundering money from the country,” he said.
“Money is being laundered abroad. But the finance minister cannot stop it,” he said.
He also alleged that Mustafa Kamal had failed to identify those who are behind “the looting of the share market.”
The JaPa MP said: “The Financial Intelligence Unit of Bangladesh Bank says that evidence of money laundering has been found in 1,024 cases in 5 years. Then why the finance minister does not get the information?
“PK Haldar is enjoying abroad after laundering huge amount of money and his girlfriends are being put to sleep in jail here,” he added.
He said the finance minister sought a list money launderers from the MPs.
“How will lawmakers provide the list? He is in charge of the Ministry of Finance. He should provide the list of money launderers.”
Pointing to a CAG audit report, the JaPa lawmaker said: "Every audit report has the information on how irregularities and corruption are taking place in different sectors. The finance minister can get information about who is smuggling money from there.”
Fazlur also criticized Mustafa Kamal for being absent during the general discussion on the proposed budget.
"We are delivering speeches in parliament on the proposed budget, but we did not find the finance minister in parliament [on Tuesday]. Not even [yesterday].”
Pir Fazlur Rahman said the Anti-Corruption Commission has identified 11 areas of corruption in the Health Ministry.
Pointing to media reports, he said there was corruption of at least Tk1,000 crore in the purchase of equipment in the health sector in FY18.
He called upon the health minister to take action against those involved in corruption in the health sector.
“At least let our conscience be awakened during this time of Covid-19. Catch these corrupt people. Ensure treatment of people. We want to ensure Covid-19 vaccination for people,” he said.
Speaking on the proposed budget, BNP MP Mosharof Hosen strongly criticized the government for making an additional secretary OSD on June 6 for disclosing the price of vaccines.
“Coronavirus vaccines are being purchased with the people’s money, the people have the right to know the price. It is sad that an officer was made OSD for this.”
JaPa MP Sayed Abu Hossain Babla also lambasted the health minister for his failure to stop widespread corruption in the health sector.
