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🇧🇩 Bangladesh /Elections & Politics

‘The Government May Hold Two Cards, but the People Hold the Red Card,’ Porwar Says

From Daily Star · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Leaders of an 11-party alliance said crowds along a Dhaka-Chattogram march showed that the foundations of the BNP-led government were weakening.
  • The alliance accused the government of failing to address shortages of electricity, gas and fertiliser, rising commodity prices, corruption and poor law and order.
  • The march called for implementation of a referendum mandate and the July Charter, justice for victims of the July killings, and action against extortion and corruption.

The government may have its “Family Card” and “Farmer Card,” but the public holds what Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mia Golam Porwar called the “red card.” Speaking at a roadside rally in Mirsarai, Chattogram, Porwar said the turnout along an 11-party alliance’s long march showed that the foundations of the BNP-led government had begun to shake.

The march began at about 8:30 a.m. from Dhaka’s Shapla Chattar and continued toward Chattogram, with rallies at the Kanchpur Bridge truck stand in Narayanganj, Poduar Bazar Bishwa Road in Cumilla, Mohipal in Feni and Mirsarai. Alliance leaders said the government had failed to ease soaring prices and acute shortages of electricity, gas and fertiliser.

The government may hold two cards, but the people hold the ‘red card’. The public will show this government the ‘red card’ very soon.

· Mia Golam PorwarThe Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general addressed a rally during the alliance’s Dhaka-Chattogram long march.

“The government may hold two cards, but the people hold the ‘red card’. The public will show this government the ‘red card’ very soon,” Porwar said. He accused the ruling party of focusing on extortion, land grabbing and looting instead of addressing the shortages.

The party, which was crowned champion in corruption from 2001 to 2006, has once again plunged into widespread graft.

· Nasiruddin PatwaryThe National Citizen Party chief coordinator criticized the BNP government’s record.

Porwar also questioned the prime minister’s position on a referendum, saying the prime minister had campaigned in northern districts for a “yes” vote and asking why he was now denying his own vote. National Citizen Party Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary called the BNP government inefficient and ineffective, accusing it of repeating the authoritarian conduct of the ousted regime and returning to widespread graft.

Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Shafiqur Rahman said the public wanted immediate solutions to utility shortages, full implementation of the referendum outcome and the July Charter, and justice for the July killings. He said the government showed no intention of meeting those demands and urged the public to prepare for a political struggle.

This government shows no intention of fulfilling these demands. The public must prepare for a political struggle.

· Shafiqur RahmanThe Jamaat-e-Islami ameer discussed demands over shortages, the July Charter, the referendum and justice for the July killings.
About this summary

Originally published by Daily Star in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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