DHAKA, Oct 18, 2024 (BSS)- Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today called upon the interim government to take realistic and tough measures on priority basis to reduce the price of essentials.

“Currently, farmers, workers, day laborers, low income group, small traders and middle class people are enduring hardship due to price hike of essential commodities. Though price has hiked, people’s income did not rise proportionately,” he said.

“If people don’t get full meal every day, it’s hard to convince them with any good word,” he said while addressing a discussion virtually marking the silver jubilee of Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF).

ZRF’s Overseas Committee Chief Adviser Dr Zubaida Rahman and BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Executive Director of ZRF Dr Farhad Halim Donar also took part in the discussion held at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium in the capital.

Tarique Rahman, also president of ZRF, suggested the interim government for including more members in its advisory council for better functioning of the government if necessary.

The BNP Acting Chairman said that the beneficiaries of the autocrat government were raising their heads at home and abroad and administration as well to frustrate the interim government.
 
If the poisonous tree of conspiracy cannot be uprooted, the achievement of the student-led mass movement will go in vain, he said, adding that the state would have to work as per the people’s expectation.

Tarique Rahman said there will be no benefit keeping the cohorts of autocrat in different positions.

The Mafia clique have carried out genocide in the country and the people have got back their freedom of speech through the mass movement and now the deprived people of the mafia regime want their rights, he added.

The blood of the martyrs has not dried out yet, he mentioned and suggested the interim government that it should work on priority basis. In this connection, he said lack of coordination of the government in some cases is becoming visible now.

Regarding different institutional reforms, he said reform is crucial and important matter, but it is an ongoing process and it takes time.

The BNP Acting Chairman said that there was no alternative to an elected government with people’s representation to establish the people’s rights. Reform works will be easier if people are engaged in it, he added.

Tarique Rahman said during the dictatorial regime, many of their leaders and workers grabbed land, properties, shops and business establishments in various places in the country.

The victims have become desperate to retrieve their properties from the grabbers, he said adding that the interim government should take steps in retrieving the properties.

He urged the citizens to work with the mentality of volunteers as the people have responsibility to the state as like as the state has responsibility to its people.

“Let us come out from the politics of vengeance and revenge and work together for the welfare of the country,” he said.

Tarique Rahman recalled the victims of July and August revolution.

About Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF), Tarique Rahman, also the President of the foundation said Ziaur Rahman was an indispensible name in the history of Bangladesh. The foundation is a voluntary organization engaged in various service-orientated activities for long.

Extended thanks to all working with this foundation as volunteers, he said the ZRF volunteers have been working tremendously for the victims of mass movement that ousted the autocratic regime.

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