BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday lambasted the interim government for retaining the controversial provision in the proposed national budget that allows black money to be whitened.

“You’ve unveiled a Tk 7.9 lakh crore budget—what sets this apart from Sheikh Hasina’s budgets? She legalized black money, and now you’re offering the same window,” Rizvi said while speaking as chief guest at a distribution event of Eid essentials for underprivileged people, organized by Jatiyatabadi Tanti Dal in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan headquarters.

Referring to Professor Muhammad Yunus, who heads the interim administration, Rizvi questioned the ethical justification of such a move. “People are asking: how can injustice be carried out under the leadership of a Nobel laureate who has always championed the poor?” he said.

The BNP leader alleged that the current policy will benefit "plunderers, looters, and bank defaulters," giving them the opportunity to legalize illicit wealth.

Rizvi also criticized the budget for what he called a lack of substantial allocations to health, education, and social safety nets. “You’ve earmarked 23 percent of the total budget for administrative salaries alone—what have you given the poor?” he asked.

He said the interim budget fails to offer concrete measures to tackle inflation or support low-income and middle-income families. “This is not my assessment—economists themselves are warning that this budget will increase pressure on ordinary citizens.”

Rizvi recalled Yunus’s past global statements, including his pledge to “send poverty to the museum,” questioning how that vision aligns with the current fiscal strategy. “We all supported Yunus hoping he’d lead the country forward. But where is that leadership now?” he asked.

Concluding his remarks, the BNP leader demanded clear timelines for elections and urged the interim government to prove its commitment to democracy by holding free, fair, and timely polls.