NN Online:
The number of banks in Bangladesh should be reduced from 61 to 30 as part of reforms in the sector, said Professor Dr Moinul Islam yesterday.
He also termed the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant as Awami League’s “white elephant” and criticised the involvement of Adani Group in the energy sector, citing these projects as examples of large-scale corruption.
Moinul made these remarks at the “Dialogue for Democratic Reconstruction”, organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at a hotel in the port city.
He said Sheikh Hasina’s relatives and supporters had engaged in massive looting, particularly in the banking sector. He questioned why controversial figures, such as those associated with S Alam Group, had been allowed to control multiple banks.
“We don’t need so many banks in the country. The number must be reduced to 30,” he said, adding that corruption in Bangladesh has been a long-standing issue, not limited to the AL regime, with similar problems during the BNP’s 2001-2006 tenure.
Zillur Rahman, CGS Executive Director, moderated the event, emphasising that while progress may be slow, the pursuit of a democratic state must continue.
Chattogram Jamaat Amir Shahjahan Chowdhury, Nasir Uddin Munir from Hefazat-e-Islam, and representatives from the Jatiyo Party and AB Party also attended.