Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said Bangladesh had become world champions in corruption during BNP's tenure and now the party is acting like the proverb "the mother of a thief shouts the loudest".
He said this while exchanging views with journalists at his Minto Road official residence in the capital on Friday.
Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said BNP had looted people's money through their alternative power house 'Hawa Bhaban'.
He termed Hawa Bhaban as "Khawa Bhaban" which means BNP looted public money and thus made the country champion in corruption for five times - four times solely and once jointly.
That is why once BNP was dubbed as 'Bishwo Chor' (world champion in stealing), he mentioned.
Though it sounds bad, it is reality that BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is now the spokesperson of the 'Biswo Chor', he added. The minister said the country's foreign currency reserve was $ 3.46 b in 2006 before the end of BNP's tenure but the reserve rose to $44b during the Awami League government.
Due to various reasons, including the world economic situation, investments in the country and formation of special fund, the forex reserve is now $37b and even after that the reserve is 12 times higher than that of BNP's tenure, he said. Hasan said BNP leaders always think about looting people's money and that is why they make negative comments against the government.
Asked about transport strike before BNP's Rangpur and Barishal rallies likewise Khulna's one, the minister said transport owners and workers know BNP very well as they carried our arson attacks on vehicles and killed innocent people by hurling petrol bombs.
"BNP torched hundreds of vehicles and killed innocent people. That is why transport owners and workers are now afraid of BNP. So, they call strike wherever BNP sets programme," he said. The AL joint general secretary said supporters of BNP, Awami League, Jatiya Party and Jasod are among those who called strike.
He said Shimul Biswas, a transport owners' leader, is engaged with BNP's politics and they decided to call strike.
So, pro-BNP transport owners are also afraid and that is why they unitedly took the decision of calling strike so that they don't become victim of BNP's ill-politics, he mentioned.