The government is to be held responsible for the alleged corruption and misdeeds of former Army Chief General Aziz Ahmed and former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged.

"Sheikh Hasina -led government has created hundreds of corrupt persons like Aziz and Benazir," he said while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion at Institution of Engineers Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium at Ramna in Dhaka on Wednesday (May 29).

BNP organized the discussion in observation of the 43rd death anniversary of founder president Ziaur Rahman.

The BNP secretary general said not a single Aziz or Benazir, the Awami League government has created hundreds of Aziz and Benazir. "They have turned into money launderers. They have made the state coffer empty shiphoning of money. They have looted away everything. The government will be held responsible for it."

Referring to Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader's criticism that Ziaur Rahman had joined BKSAL, Fakhrul said, "It is a complete lie. Ziaur Rahman was givren a form to join BKSAL, but he had ordered to keep it beneath a file. At that time, it was mandatory for all government officials and employees to join BKSAL, but Ziaur Rahman dis not join. He floated a new idea of nationalism. It was a new beginning. He introduced Bangladeshi nationalism to unite all Muslims, Hindus, Christians and Buddhists. "The Bangladeshi nationalism means we are Bangladeshis."

Mirza Fakhrul alleged that Awami League is trying to make a great leader like Ziaur Rahman a villain. They utter whatever they like about Ziaur Rahman.

Chaiured by Major (Retd) M Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, the discussion was also addressed by BNP Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Dr Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman, Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, and Dhaka City South BNP convener Abdus Salam.