Rizvi praises Islamic Andolon’s warning to govt; asks other islamic parties to join BNP’s movement

Viewing positively the Islamic Andolon's message of not accepting any election schedule without political consensus of all, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi called on other Islamic parties to do the same.

Speaking at a virtual press conference amidst the 48-hour nationwide blockade on Sunday (12 November), Rizvi told The Business Standard, "We consider the announcement of Islamic Andolon's decision not to participate in this election as a positive message. 

"We hope that their decision will contribute to the ongoing momentum of the movement. Additionally, we expect other Islamic parties to join our fair and democratic movement and aspire to march on the path of democracy."

Earlier today, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh warned that it would launch a mass procession towards the Election Commission building in Dhaka if the election schedule was announced without first reaching a political consensus on the matter.

"If a unilateral schedule is announced, protests and protest marches will be held in every district and metropolis across the country on the day after the announcement of the schedule, alongside a mass procession towards the Election Commission," Ameer of Islami Andolan Bangladesh Charmonai Pir Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim read out a written statement during a press conference at Noakhali Tower in Purana Paltan on Sunday afternoon.

At his virtual press conference, Rizvi also said democratic forces working to secure the voting rights of 12 crore voters by resisting "vote thieves" were on the cusp of victory.

"The whole of Bangladesh has come to a standstill in the face of the spontaneous support of the people of the blockade," he said during a virtual press conference amidst the 48-hour nationwide blockade on Sunday (12 November).

Referring to the ruling Awami League, he said "The time has come for the election robbers to face justice in the people's court."

In the last 24 hours, one BNP leader has been killed and police have arrested 365 BNP activists nationwide, Rizvi claimed.

Furthermore, since 28 October, thirteen leaders and activists, including one journalist, have been killed, and approximately 12,000 leaders and activists have been arrested, he added.

The senior joint secretary general of BNP alleged that "Last Saturday, in the Gauripur Upazila of Mymensingh district, the joint convener of Upazila Swecchasebak Dal Md Swapan died. After being chased by the DB police, he jumped into the pond and died from electrocution."

Condemning the act, Rizvi said, "The Detective Branch holds responsibility for the death.

He said the members of the Detective Branch of police are moving around like 'Nazi forces' in microbuses covered with black glass and picking up the pro-democratic forces, the UNB reports.

"Even ordinary people are not spared. They in the name of RAB-Police are also picking up the relatives, including parents, sons, children, brothers and sisters, of the democratic forces, and making them disappear."

"Sheikh Hasina has established a reign of terror in the entire country through murder, disappearances, killings, false cases, and arrests, just to maintain her illegal power. In the face of the peaceful resistance of the people, Sheikh Hasina has once again started the festival of disappearances, like in the past." 

Addressing the law enforcement agencies, he said, "Do not be on the opposite side of the people's spontaneous movement to exercise their voting rights."

'Govt wants to shift RMG business to another country'

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also alleged the government is destroying the readymade garments (RMG) sector in Bangladesh as part of a plot to shift the business to another country.

Commenting on demands for salary and wage increases, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, "Unfortunately, four workers have been killed so far, who were part of the movement for fair wages."

"The government is very cleverly implementing a blue-print of destroying the garment industry, the country's largest sector for earning foreign currency. She (Sheikh Hasina) wants to create famine again like in 1974, and wants to destroy the country's economy," the BNP leader said, according to a UNB report. 

He also alleged that 150 garment factories were indefinitely shut on Saturday by the owners at the instigation of the government.

The BNP leader bemoaned that police who attacked the RMG workers filed cases accusing 11,000 RMG workers of staging demonstrations for their justified demands.

"People believe that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina wants a guarantee to stay in power illegally by shifting the RMG business to another country," Rizvi said.

He said not only the political leaders and workers of the opposition parties but also the professional garment workers are not safe in the hands of the current fascist regime.  "Four garment workers have so far been killed by the police."

The BNP leader said the government has again started indulging in enforced disappearance by using the plainclothes police to suppress the opposition's ongoing movement.