Ruling alliance involved in crimes: Hasina

"Before the last general elections, the BNP chief (Khaleda Zia) had declared a war on violence and corruption. But in association with criminals, her government has now launched a war against the common man", said the leader of the opposition in parliament.

Hasina was speaking at a discussion to mark the 31st founding anniversary of AL's youth front Awami Jubo League and 64th birth anniversary of its founding chairman Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni.

BNP has formed alliance with a party which has links to over a dozen communal militant organisations in the country, Hasina said at the discussion held in front of the party central office in Dhaka.

About the recent arms haul in Kuril-Badda area of the capital, she said probe into such a big haul has made no headway yet probably because ruling alliance men are involved in the crime.

Hasina was critical of a 'bhaban' and said, "Every businessman has to pay commission to that bhaban."

To substantiate her allegations of government-backed corruption, Hasina said, "A top leader's family members are involved in billboard advertisement business in Dhaka while a senior minister's wife has grabbed a chunk of land at Osmany Udyan, paying only Tk 5,000."

She also accused ruling party lawmaker and a senior minister's son of demanding bribe from a contractor and said he (contractor) is now facing harassment by police for disclosing the crime.

The AL chief urged all to make a success the anti- government agitation programme that her party already announced.

The AL will go for 'mass contact' across the country from December 21 to 31, observe 'demand day' on January 3 and hold a public rally in Dhaka on January 10.

Hasina said tough programmes will be announced from the rally to dislodge the government by April next.

Referring to the death of an accused of the abduction of Chittagong magnate Jamal Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury in police custody, she said, "It is an instance of human rights violation."

She lauded the role of Sheikh Fazlul Haq Moni during the Liberation War.

Presided over by Jubo League Chairman Jahangir Kabir Nanok, the discussion was also addressed by AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Jubo League General Secretary Mirza Azam and Prof Abdul Mannan Chowdhury and Prof Mostafa Chowdhury of Dhaka University.