One autocrat ousted, another is rising: Nahid Islam

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam has said the country is witnessing the rise of a new autocrat after removing another from power. He said they had pledged to the people to defeat both the ousted autocrat and the new one.

He made the remarks at an NCP protest rally in front of the National Museum at Shahbagh in the capital on Friday (October 30) afternoon. The party’s Dhaka metropolitan north and south units jointly organised the programme.

Several thousand leaders and activists joined the rally, the NCP’s largest street programme since the 13th parliamentary election. They occupied the space in front of the National Museum and nearby roads. Separate processions led by Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and Nasiruddin Patwary, the party’s candidates in the Dhaka north and south city corporation elections, also joined the rally.

Nahid alleged that the government and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had no plan to run the country. He claimed Tarique had returned from London with plans to establish corruption, looting, extortion and illegal occupation.

Referring to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s announcement that she would return to the country in December, Nahid said the current government would not be able to confront the ousted autocrat. He urged the young people and ordinary citizens who took part in the July uprising to unite again.

Call for home and energy ministers to resign

Nahid raised allegations of rising prices of essentials, robberies, electricity and gas shortages, politicisation of state institutions and deteriorating law and order. He said the government had failed to ensure public safety.

Holding Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud responsible for these failures, he demanded their resignation.

Nahid warned that he would announce nationwide marches if the two ministers did not resign. He also said the march would be taken to the prime minister to press the demands.

Relations with India and water sharing

The NCP convener alleged that the government had failed to play an appropriate role over border killings, unrest in the hill region and alleged persecution of Muslims in India’s Assam and West Bengal.

He also alleged that an attempt had been made during the prime minister’s visit to Japan to grant India an illegal corridor through Bangladesh. The people would not accept any such arrangement, Nahid said.

He warned of returning to the streets if the Ganges water-sharing treaty was not renewed on fair terms in December. He said there would be no compromise on Bangladesh’s rightful share of water.

Addressing the rally, NCP Member Secretary and MP Akhter Hossain claimed that LPG available for Tk 1,000 in Kolkata cost Tk 2,500 in Bangladesh. Asking whether Kolkata was unaffected by the Iran war, he demanded an answer from the energy minister.

Akhter also demanded the dissolution of the constitutional amendment committee and the formation of a constitutional reform council in line with the referendum verdict. He also called for the trial of the Awami League and its associates on charges of crimes against humanity.

NCP Dhaka metropolitan south Convener Ishaq Sarkar chaired the rally.