BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi today condemned the attack on actor Azmeri Haque Badhon, calling it a “disgraceful and cowardly act” against a woman who contributed to the July Uprising.
He made the remarks while speaking to reporters after paying homage to former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia at their graves in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, marking the founding anniversary of Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal.
Criticising those who allegedly celebrated the attack, Rizvi said, “Those who attack women are cowards. What can I say about those who carry out the acts of cowards?”
He said all political parties protested the incident in parliament and that Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal also strongly condemned it.
Earlier, addressing the anniversary programme, Rizvi said no civilisation can be complete without women’s empowerment, noting that Ziaur Rahman founded Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal with this vision.
He said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had shown through his programmes and performance of state responsibilities that a patriotic leader in power prioritises the interests of the people.
Rizvi claimed inflation had declined and said the gas and energy crisis was part of a global crisis. He said the crisis cannot be fully resolved until the conflict between the United States and Iran ends.
He said the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz are major routes for global oil supplies and disruptions to ship movement there have affected the energy market.
Rizvi said the government was arranging gas imports from Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia, while supplies were gradually returning to normal after technical problems at the Maheshkhali deep-sea terminal were resolved.
He said the government was ready to provide further subsidies and allocate Tk 40,000 crore, if needed, to import gas and fuel.
On commodity prices, Rizvi said the government was intervening in the market to keep essential goods affordable. “After the rainy season, during autumn, prices of food items such as vegetables, rice, lentils and salt usually increase. But because of the government’s strict intervention, prices of essential food items have not increased significantly. As a result, inflation declined in August,” he said.
He also mentioned the government’s Family Card programme, honorariums for imams, muezzins and priests, and a target to excavate 20,000 kilometres of canals over five years, of which more than 1,000 kilometres had already been completed.
Rizvi further said diplomatic efforts had reopened the Malaysian labour market for Bangladeshi workers.
