Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said on Tuesday that the United States’ entry restrictions on former army chief general Aziz Ahmed were proof of the government›s corruption.

‘We have said it thousands of times about corruption. The whole world has said it. They denied it. Now the news has come that the US has sanctioned former army chief Aziz Ahmed. This is proving that rampant corruption is taking place,’ Fakhrul said.

The reason for banning Aziz Ahmed is corruption, influencing democratic institutions, and undermining public trust. This is what we tried to say,’ he said.

‘You have used state machinery, tried to use the army, used the judiciary, and used the administration. A reign of fear has been created,’ Fakrul added.

Fakhrul was speaking at a discussion organised by the Jatiya Gonotantrik Party at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity, marking the seventh death anniversary of the party founder, Shafiul Alam Prodhan.

He asked his party people to refrain from celebrating the news, as he believed they would have to defeat the current government with their own strength instead of depending on others.

‘If we can’t manage our own house, no one else will do it for us. Many may be happy about the sanctions on Aziz… I think it’s misleading, and we’re always getting confused,’ Fakhrul said.

Fakrul said that the US also imposed sanctions earlier on the Rapid Action Battalion, the officers of the elite force, and the police, but it could not stop the terrible journey of the current regime.

He said that in a country, people have to stand on their own two feet, stand with their own strength, and defeat the rulers with their own strength.

The US Department of State on Monday imposed sanctions on Aziz Ahmed and his immediate family members due to their involvement in ‘significant corruption.’