Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s central president Nurul Islam has issued a stern warning to the government, saying that just as the people can seat a government in power through movement, they can also drag it down again. You came to power by deception, he said, and you are not implementing the July Charter. Remember, he said, a heavy price will have to be paid for this.
He made the remarks in his address as chief guest at an A-plus reception for students who achieved GPA-5 in the SSC and equivalent examinations, organised by Chhatra Shibir’s Chattogram metropolitan south unit at the Engineers’ Institution auditorium in Chattogram city on Sunday morning.
Expressing anger at the country’s present situation, Shibir’s central president said: we are living in a state where the parents of Apratim, killed in Cumilla, are crying out in heartbroken grief. They do not know how they will live without that child. The country’s law and order situation has deteriorated severely. The government has failed completely to control it. The rise in the prices of essential goods in the market is not stopping. Why should the government fail to give people security, he asked, when we live paying 15 percent VAT and tax on every commodity?
He added: the way the government is running the country, it feels as though we have come as visitors from among the Rohingya or from some other country. At least 15,000 children have gone missing in the country in the past seven months. Although a large part of them have been recovered, more than 2,000 children are still missing. And many children go missing every day outside the government’s official figures.
Recalling the spirit of the July revolution, the Shibir president said: you are not implementing the July national charter, you are not reforming the constitution, you are not accepting the people’s reasonable demands, and you are not even bringing in the fundamental changes in the light of the referendum. Nor are you giving any explanation of why you are not accepting them. You merely say in words that you will observe it to the letter, while playing for time and seating your own people in every office. There is no reason to think Bangladesh’s young people do not understand all this. How terrible the situation can become when the people grow angry with a government was made clear in the July uprising.
In his address of guidance to the students being honoured, he said: for as long as you spread fragrance like a rose, your parents and this society will praise you. You must therefore maintain this consistency of results in order to build yourselves and develop your talent.
About 1,500 students from various educational institutions in Chattogram city who achieved GPA-5 were given honours and special gifts at the event. The programme, held at the International Mother Language Institute grounds at 9am, was opened by the father of Shaheed Abid Bin Islam of Chittagong University Chhatra Shibir. Professor Dr Kazi Md Barkat Ali of the department of geography and environmental studies at Chittagong University spoke as the main speaker.
Speaking as special guests were Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s Chattogram metropolitan ameer Nazrul Islam, Chhatra Shibir’s central law secretary Shamim Hossain, central culture secretary H M Abu Musa, Chittagong University Central Students’ Union (CUCSU) vice-president Ibrahim Hossain Roni, and the noted physician Dr Fazlul Haque.
The event was chaired by Maimunul Islam Mamun, president of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Chattogram metropolitan south unit, and conducted by its programme secretary Rakibul Islam. Leaders at various levels were present.