'Where do they get so much money?'

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday raised a question about BNP's source of money over the “hiring of a lobbyist” to influence the US administration.

“Where does BNP get so much money?” said Quader while addressing a function marking 10th founding anniversary of Anwer Khan Modern Medical College Hospital in the capital.

BNP has hired the services of two US-based firms to lobby the Trump administration on its behalf, according to the US portal Politico.

The contract with the firms, Blue Star and Rasky Partners , costs $35,000 a month, Politico said.

Referring to the issue, Quader said his party does not have any objection over it, “but the questionable matter is how BNP did this? Can they do this? Was there any necessity?”

He said after failing to wage a movement, some leaders of BNP went to lodge allegations with the United Nations.

“BNP will lobby the US government by appointing lobbyists to put pressure on us [Awami League] and the government…. we will not bow down to anyone's pressure,” the AL general secretary said.

Quader said, “Is Bangladesh Pakistan? Is Bangladesh Afghanistan? Is Bangladesh South Sudan or Somalia; or is Bangladesh war-torn Iraq or Iran? We will resolve our problems here.”