Looters must be punished, shutting institutions not a solution: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has urged that those involved in looting over the past 15 years must be punished, but warned that closing institutions and creating unemployment is not a solution.

He made the remarks at the Fourth Bangladesh Economic Conference in Dhaka on Saturday (November 29).

Fakhrul said BNP, as a responsible political party, has always worked to keep the country’s economy functional. He noted that former President Ziaur Rahman initiated the era of an open economy and emphasised that BNP has consistently tried to stabilise the economy, dismissing claims that the party has harmed it.

Addressing the business community, he stressed the need to restore trust and implement policy reforms. “Punish those involved in looting, but why create unemployment by shutting down institutions? This needs to be considered,” he said.

Fakhrul also highlighted the importance of political reforms alongside economic measures and said BNP envisions not just a “New Bangladesh” but a prosperous nation where democracy and the economy develop together.