Opposition MP Mujibur Rahman today accused the government of corruption in connection with the President’s announcement of a surcharge on imported vehicles, claiming that politically connected businessmen benefited from advance knowledge of the Gazette.
Rahman told Parliament that on May 15, a day before the surcharge was announced, 1,782 brand-new vehicles opened Letters of Credit (LCs).
“How was it possible for over 1,700 vehicles to open LCs a day before the Gazette was published? Who do these vehicles belong to?” he asked, alleging that the imports were linked to businessmen close to the President.
He charged that the news of the surcharge had leaked, allowing certain car dealership owners close to the President to benefit.
“This is an organized crime. Before the President could publish the Gazette, dealership owners around him had already opened LCs,” Rahman said.
The MP dismissed the Deputy Finance Minister’s denial of reports that 4,000 LCs were opened, insisting that data until the end of May would confirm the figure.
Rahman further argued that the law was being applied unequally, disadvantageous to those importing used vehicles.
“If laws are being initiated regarding vehicles, they should be equal to all. But the law does not apply to certain businessmen. The President says the law is equal to all, but it is not so. Those who supported the President are now benefitting,” he said.
He accused the government of creating what he called a “crony economy”, designed to benefit allies of the President.
“The President has brought laws to benefit those around him and earn as much as they want,” Rahman charged. (Newswire)