30 October 2023

Statement of Mr. Tarique Rahman, Acting Chairman of BNP

Currently, in the market where the prices of commodities are rising, the workers of various industrial factories protested in Gazipur to demand a fair increase in their wages. At this time, a worker named Russel, an electrician of Design Express Limited under Gazipur's Basan Thana died tragically in the police firing. In words to words, law enforcement forces are using excessive force against people protesting for fair rights. This is a cruel example of current Awami fascism.

The Acting Chairman of BNP, Mr. Tarique Rahman, has made a statement expressing his deep grief over the death of Rasel, giving full support to the logical demand of increasing the wages of the workers.

In a statement today, the Acting Chairman of BNP said, "The current Awami League government does not care about the people's livelihood because it was not elected by the people's votes. As a result of the most extreme inflation in the country's memory, the prices of daily necessities including rice, pulses, oil, salt, onions and vegetables have gone up. Middle class, lower middle class and low income people are spending days with hunger and starvation. In this deep crisis the life of ordinary working people has become miserable.

On the one hand, the fascist Awami League government has played a blood holi game by attacking the peaceful meetings and gatherings of opposition parties including BNP with the law and order forces, on the other hand, it does not hesitate to shoot and kill the working people during the protest of their just demands. Awami ruling group is a shining example of how violent and brutal a power-hungry government can be. The anti-people Awami government loots state resources, is the patron of robbers and money launderers, so they do not care about the survival of poor people. In township after township they are recklessly using state power to wipe out oppressed protesting people.

Today I strongly protest and condemn the killing of a laborer by the police without any provocation during a peaceful protest demanding salary hike in Gazipur.

Calling for immediate investigation into the incident and prosecution of the culprits. Besides, I am calling for the implementation of the BNP's full support to the demand of increasing the minimum wage of the workers.

I pray may the departed soul of Rasel, who was killed in police firing, rest in peace and express my deepest condolences to his bereaved family."

(Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi)

Senior Joint Secretary General

Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP.