National Citizen Party convener and opposition chief whip Nahid Islam on Tuesday said that the NCP and its allies would attend the first session of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad on March 12 to push for the implementation of reform mandates that the people supported in the recent national elections and referendum.
‘We have heard that the president left behind by the fascist regime will deliver an address in the opening session of the new parliament. We want to make it clear that we are not going to parliament to listen to the speech of a fascist president. We are going to parliament to ensure the implementation of the reforms that the people of Bangladesh supported through their votes,’ he said.
Nahid made the remarks while addressing an iftar party hosted by the Rajshahi divisional unit of the NCP at the Teachers’ Training Centre playground in the city.
He said that they would go to parliament to demand answers about when the constitutional reform council would be formed and when the proposed upper house would be constituted.
He also reiterated his demand for the immediate removal and arrest of the president.
Nahid said that people across political affiliations had voted in favour of reforms and justice and vowed to continue political efforts to implement those changes.
He also demanded justice for the killing of Iquilab Mancha convener Osman Hadi.
He demanded the immediate repatriation of the accused arrested in India to ensure justice for Hadi.
He alleged that Hadi was killed following domestic and foreign conspiracies linked with elements of a ‘deep state’.
Nahid said that rebuilding Bangladesh after 16 years of fascist rule would require unity among all anti-fascist political forces, adding that no single party or the government could accomplish the task alone.
Nahid said that criticism of the government was an essential component of democracy.
‘Those in government carry greater responsibility. They must tolerate criticism and correct themselves. Democracy cannot function without a strong opposition and dissenting voices,’ he said.
Commenting on the government’s recently launched family card programme, Nahid said that while it was part of the ruling party’s election manifesto, it would not bring meaningful economic change unless corruption, extortion, land grabbing and loan default were addressed.
He urged the government, the Supreme Court and the Election Commission to take action against loan defaulters and ensure that misappropriated bank funds were returned to the banking system.
NCP northern region chief organiser Sarjis Alam criticised the government’s move to remove the requirement of educational qualification for heading the managing committees of non-government schools and colleges.
He alleged that such a move mirrored the partisan control seen during the previous regimes.
Among others, Rajshahi University pro-vice chancellor Professor Mohammad Main Uddin, Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawmaker for Rajshahi-3 constituency Shafiqul Haque Milon, former Rajshahi City Corporation mayor Mohammad Mosaddique Hossain Bulbul, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Rajshahi city unit general secretary Emaj Uddin Mondol, NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, Jatiya Nari Shakti convener Monira Sharmin and Jatiya Juba Shakti convener Tariqul Islam also spoke.
