BNP Advisory Council member Zainul Abedin Farroque has demanded that the interim government promptly announce the national election date by upholding the dignity of the July mass uprising.
"I request the Chief Adviser of the interim government to immediately announce the election date without any further delay or wastage of time, in order to keep intact the honour of the second independence, earned at the cost of the blood of Abu Sayed and Mugdho," he said while addressing a rally on Friday.
Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Dal organised the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, demanding the announcement of a roadmap for the national election.
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Farroque, a former opposition chief whip, said the interim government should not waste unnecessary time holding the polls under the guise of reforms.
"Reforms will continue, the election date will be set, and preparations for the election will also go on. I demand the immediate announcement of the election date," he said.
The BNP leader recalled that former Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, who was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at that time, arranged a free and fair election in Bangladesh in 1991 within a short time after the fall of autocratic ruler HM Ershad.
He said there is now no need for so many reforms to hold a free, fair and credible election like that of 1991.
The BNP leader observed that the nation needs reforms that will provide relief to the people and allow them to purchase rice and other essential commodities at reasonable prices.
He slammed the government for increasing value-added tax (VAT) and supplementary duty (SD) on nearly 100 goods and services, making life more expensive.
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“You came to power through the revolution of students and the masses. You are in government through the students' movement. So, why have you imposed VAT on the tiffin boxes of school students? Why have you immorally imposed VAT on all daily essentials?” Farroque said.
He said the country’s common people are facing severe hardships due to the VAT and SD increases. “Where they earlier managed to live on Tk 10,000 a month, now they cannot even make ends meet on Tk 25,000.”
He alleged that a syndicate is profiting by buying hundreds of tickets, holding them in offices, and selling them at inflated prices to people intending to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia, only because of the government’s inaction.
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Farroque called upon the Civil Aviation Advisor to take proper steps to dismantle this unscrupulous syndicate so that people can buy tickets at fair prices to perform Umrah.