Jatiya Party MP Kazi Firoz Rashid on Sunday voiced deep resentment over the absence of Finance Minister MA Muhith and State Minister MA Mannan in Parliament when discussions on the proposed budget were going on.
“What’s the use of just telling you (Speaker), as the Finance Minister and State Minister are not present in the House? Who’ll reply to our queries, should we speak to the sky?” he said. Deputy Speaker M Fazle Rabbi Miah was presiding over the session. Finance Minister AMA Muhith and State Minister MA Mannan were absent at that time. Pointing to the existing anomalies in the financial sector, the JaPa MP said the government has to stop the ongoing irregularities for providing the fruits of the budget to people as well as reducing the budget deficit.
“The Finance Minister admitted in parliament that there was massive theft, but he didn’t utter a single word against those responsible,” he said. Firoz also questioned about the steps taken against the persons involved in the central bank money heist. He said not a single person was put under trial for the embezzlement of thousands of crores of taka in the last seven and a half years. “Hallmark didn’t return anything…no one was arrested in connection with the BASIC Bank and Bismillah Group incidents…no punitive measurer has been taken against the huge of looting of money from the banking sector,” Firoz told the House.
Rafiqul Islam, Abdus Shahid, Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Quazi Rosy, Safura Begum, Shafiqul Islam Shimul, AKM Fazlul Huq, Abdur Rahman, Moslem Uddin and Habibur Rahman also took part in the discussion.
