Zainul Abdin Farroque calls for immediate raids on ex-MPs’ homes to seize ‘looted wealth’

BNP leader Zainul Abdin Farroque on Sunday demanded immediate operation at the residences of members of the recently dissolved parliament to seize "thousands of crores of looted and illegal money."
 
"Dollars worth of thousand crore of taka will be found in the residences of 300 members of the parliament who became MPs through the 7th January voterless dummy election. Search these (residences) and start investigation. We are ready to assist you," he said.
 
BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council member Zainul Abdin Farroque placed the demand addressing a programme in front of the National Press Club here in the capital.
 
He said people now know of just a few irregularities of the MPs, who were not elected, looting thousands of crores of taka, committing corruption in the electricity, roads and highways sector. They didn't give the scope to establish the rule of law, he added.
 
Referring to the Home Affairs Adviser of the Interim Government, Farroque said, "I, as a persecuted political activist, demand that you arrest them (the immediate past MPs) immediately; we will not take the law into our own hands following the instructions of my leader Tarique Rahman."
 
Noting that he was persecuted for 16 years during the Awami League regime, the BNP leader said he doesn't want to be subjected to torture anymore.
 
He said there should be an election where everyone would be able to cast his or her own vote freely.
 
"Through that election, the people of the country should get their (voting) rights back and no one will have to come to the streets (demanding the voting rights)," said Farroque.
 
Trinamul Nagorik Andolan arranged the programme-human chain-demanding the arrest and trial of Sheikh Hasina and her aides.
 
Farroque, also the former chief whip of the opposition, alleged that Sheikh Hasina directed to fire bullets towards the student-led movement that toppled her 16-year regime.
 
"You (Sheikh Hasina) committed the killings during this movement, you gave the order to fire from the helicopter. The order to fire on the Anti-discrimination Student Movement came from you," he said.
 
The BNP leader sought India's cooperation to bring back Sheikh Hasina under the prisoner exchange agreement.
 
Noting Bangladesh is an independent country, he asked India to show respect towards Bangladesh.
 
BNP executive committee members Bilkis Islam and Shah Md Nesarul Huq, among others, spoke at the event presided over by Trinamul Nagorik Andolan President Mofizur Rahman Liton.