Money launderers destroying country's economy: Salma Islam

Jatiya Party co-chairman Salma Islam on Sunday called upon the government to take stern actions against the loan defaulters, bank looters and money launderers.

"They are destroying the backbone of the country's economy," she said while participating in the discussion of the thanksgiving motion on the president's speech in parliament.

Highlighting various challenges of the economy including inflation, Salma Islam said the main challenge of the country's economy is inflation. Extreme mismanagement in the financial sector has been added with this.

She said that non-performing loans are increasing at an unbridled pace and thousands of crores of taka are being laundered abroad. It cannot be controlled in any way.

"The dollar crisis is growing. Reserves continue to decline. Banks are suffering from liquidity crisis. Many banks are going bankrupt."

Mentioning three major challenges facing the country, Salma Islam said that one of them is to reduce commodity prices and inflation.

"Another is to ensure good governance and the last is to bring international diplomacy to Bangladesh's side."

She also said that in order to reduce the price of goods, it is not enough to take action against the syndicate.

She added that the dollar crisis must be solved. Because if there is no dollar, goods cannot be imported and if there is no supply of goods in the market, unscrupulous traders will raise prices by creating an artificial crisis.

She said that strict measures should be taken against corruption to ensure good governance. Even if allegations of corruption are raised against influential persons, actions should be taken against them as per law.

"The rule of law must be ensured. It should also ensure that everyone gets a fair trial."