Some political parties are deceiving the people in the name of consensus: Nahid Islam
Some political parties are deceiving the people in the name of national consensus by signing a mere piece of paper, said Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP).
He made this remark on Friday afternoon at the inaugural ceremony of the NCP’s workers’ wing, Jatiya Sramik Shakti, held in Eskaton, Dhaka.
As the chief guest at the event, Nahid Islam said that since the formation of the interim government following the mass uprising, several commissions have been created — including a labour commission — but there has been no discussion about them.
He said, no one is talking about the health commission either. There is no discussion on reforms in public service institutions or state bodies directly linked to people’s lives. The only focus has been on six election-centric reform commissions, under which the so-called National Consensus Commission has been formed, he added.
Even there, he added, they did not find everyone’s intentions for democracy to be sincere.
Nahid Islam said the NCP believes that alongside the struggle for democratic transformation in Bangladesh, they must also continue their struggle for economic transformation, a movement they describe as a fight against inequality, for a just and equitable economy based on 'insaf' (justice).
Students, workers, and professionals from all walks of life will unite in this struggle, he stated.
The NCP convener emphasised that human dignity must remain at the heart of all development in Bangladesh. “He said, they believe the so-called development stories and growth narratives that have been told about Bangladesh’s economy are misleading. The country must break free from that structure.
At the center of development should be human dignity, decent employment, and workers’ fair share of the wealth. Our goal is to establish a humane society based on dignity, fair employment, and social responsibility, he further remarked.
Referring to the timing of the event, Nahid Islam said, today, as Jatiya Sramik Shakti launches and asserts its presence on the streets, some political parties are deceiving the people in the name of national consensus by signing a piece of paper.
The NCP leader said, “We have always known that the power of the streets prevails. Insha’Allah, Jatiya Sramik Shakti will also prevail. The National Citizen Party will stand by the workers and engage in politics for securing their rights.”
Nahid Islam pointed out that workers in Bangladesh are still struggling for fair wages, while fires continue to break out in garment factories, slums, and industrial facilities.
When a worker dies, their life is valued at only 200,000-300,000 taka. The lives of workers have no worth. We cannot continue to treat workers’ labour as a mere tool for economic exploitation, he said adding that Bangladesh must move from this looting-based, corrupt system toward democratic transformation.
Criticising the failure to bring the “tycoons and mafia oligarchs” of the fascist era to justice, he said, Those oligarchs and mafias are still being protected — by the government and by some political parties — even though they have exploited workers for decades. We seek to dismantle that oligarchic system.
At the end of the event, Nahid Islam announced the leadership of the newly formed organisation. He said Jatiya Sramik Shakti’s convener will be Mazharul Islam Fakir, a leader of the anti-discrimination student movement; its member secretary will be labour leader Riaz Morshed; and Arman Hossain will serve as chief organiser.