BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that not the country's people, but the ruling Awami League leaders now live in paradise.

He made the comment criticising Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen's remarks at a discussion and doa mahfil at Nayapaltan in the capital on Saturday (August 13).

Rizvi said, "The government's leaders and patronisers live in paradise, instead of the people of Bangladesh. People of the country live in hell due to the misrule of the government."

Referring to the Friday's remarks of the foreign minister, Rizvi said, "Even, the ward level leaders of Awami League have become millionaires. Those who siphoned off billions of taka from the country depriving the poor, they have built high-rise buildings abroad and lead a very luxury lifestyle there. Those money launderers live in paradise. But, their paradise can be compared with Shaddad's paradise [as mentioned in the Tales of Arabian Nights] which will also crumble soon."

Addressing the foreign minister, Rizvi said, "Momen Saheb, you don't go to [kitchen] markets, don't listen to rickshawalas, don't pay any heed to remarks of poor. The price of an egg is now Tk 12.50, and four eggs cost Tk 50, while a kg of hilsa fish costs Tk 2,000."

"Prices of vegetables have also skyrocketed. People can't buy rice, lentil, vegetables. They're selling their children due to poverty. People are being burnt in the fire set off by you. People belonging to low-class and middle-class have become worst sufferers. These are also appearing in the mass media though the mass media is now under pressure. In spite of it, many things are appearing in the media every day," Rizvi said.

The BNP leader observed that famine has now gripped the entire country. "You feel pride uttering about paradise. You have accumulated huge wealth by looting people's money. You may live in paradise. Momen Saheb, your comments amount to joking with hungry people."

Addressing Obaidul Quader, he said, "You have threatened to occupy the streets with the help of law enforcers. If law enforcers are not there on the streets, you will have to flee like foxes."

Rizvi said Awami League leaders have been making pride resorting to abduction and extrajudicial killings of BNP leaders and workers, and looting people's money. "But, you will vanish if there are no law enforcers present in the field."

The discussion was organised by Zia Mancha in observance of the 53rd birthday of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko. Besides, prayer was offered seeking salvation of Koko's departed soul.

Rizvi said Arafat Rahman Koko was a skilled sports organiser and humble person. He died due to political reasons.

The discussion was also participated by BNP orgaising secretary Abdus Salam Azad, volunteers affairs secretary Mir Sharafat Ali Shopu, Prof Aminul Islam and Fayez Ullah Iqbal, among others.