National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam has accused the BNP government of moving towards undemocratic rule despite coming to power through an election.
He said various incidents indicated that the government was moving towards an authoritarian approach.
“The BNP government is not keeping its promises, while the aspirations of the mass uprising remain unfulfilled,” Nahid said, alleging that the government was not taking steps to implement the referendum verdict despite 70% of voters backing it.
He made the remarks as the chief guest at the first central council of the Jatiya Chhatra Shakti at Dhaka University on Saturday.
Nahid said the struggle against fascism and the “ganaroom-guestroom” culture for establishing democratic campuses began during their university years. The Democratic Student Force and later the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement carried forward that struggle, he said, expressing hope that the Jatiya Chhatra Shakti would become its successor.
Although the mass uprising brought about a change in power, its aspirations have yet to be realised, Nahid said.
He said the struggle that began with defeating the Bangladesh Chhatra League over allegations of violence and campus domination was still unfinished.
“If the Jatiya Chhatra Shakti fails to establish a strong position in student politics, students may once again be forced into a life of servitude,” he said, urging the organisation to continue its struggle for reforms and justice and against hegemony.
Criticising the government’s performance, Nahid said people were suffering from electricity and fuel shortages, but the government had failed to take any visible measures to address the crisis.
He also alleged that the law-and-order situation had deteriorated sharply.
“These failures are preventing the aspirations of the mass uprising from being realised,” he said.
Nahid said the NCP emerged from the aspirations of the younger generation through the mass uprising, while the Jatiya Chhatra Shakti was also born from the same uprising and revolution.
He called on the organisation’s leaders and activists to speak for students and ordinary people and work to realise the aspirations of those killed in the July mass uprising.
Nahid alleged that Alif, who attended the event, had lost an eye due to violence by government and BNP activists.
He also raised the arrest of a young man, Sifat Abdullah of Gazipur, under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
“We do not agree with his language. But under which law and provision was he arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act?” Nahid asked.
He said Sifat’s college had also issued a notice against him, adding that the incidents suggested the beginning of an authoritarian process in the country.
Nahid demanded Sifat’s immediate release and called for the withdrawal of the college notice.
The new central committee of the National Student Force was elected at the event.
NCP Member Secretary and MP Akhter Hossain, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary and other central leaders also spoke at the programme.
