Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and a member of parliament, on Saturday alleged that attempts are being made to rehabilitate the Awami League in the name of the Liberation War and the historic 7 March Speech of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, warning that such efforts would not be accepted.
“Attempts have begun to rehabilitate the Awami League in the name of the Liberation War and the historic 7 March speech. We want to say that the Liberation War is a matter of our pride, but Awami League has undermined that pride,” Nahid said while addressing an iftar programme organised by the NCP in Faridpur.
Nahid alleged that the Awami League had legitimised various crimes including enforced disappearances, killings and money laundering by invoking the Liberation War. “The Awami League cannot be rehabilitated in the name of the Liberation War, the 7 March speech or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.”
The NCP leader also accused the government of betraying the aspirations associated with the “July Charter,” saying they had taken two pledges based on the charter’s implementation order. “The ruling party has taken one of those pledges, but it has been the first to betray the aspirations of July and the July Charter.”
Expressing willingness to work constructively with the government, Nahid said the government must take oath under the reform council before the parliamentary session scheduled for the 12th.
Nahid further demanded the removal of what he termed a ‘fascist president’ in the first parliamentary session, warning that otherwise an 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami would be compelled to take to the streets.
Nahid urges NCP to be fully prepared for local polls battle
Nahid also alleged that the government had already started politicising key state institutions. “We saw during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina how state institutions including the judiciary, administration and police were politicised. The current government has not even completed a month in office, yet we are already witnessing similar tendencies.”
Among others, special guests at the iftar programme included Sarjis Alam, chief organiser of the NCP’s northern region; Nizam Uddin, joint member secretary and Faridpur divisional organising secretary; Tariqul Islam, convener of Jatiya Juboshakti; and Zahid Ahsan, convener of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, along with central and divisional leaders of the NCP.