Never seen so many beggars on street: Rizvi

Senior joint secretary general of BNP, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi speaks as the chief guest at an event to distribute Eid gifts on behalf of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman. Photo taken from Naya Paltan area in the capital on Tuesday, 2 April 2024.Prothom Alo

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has commented that not just the footsteps of famine, it is prevalent in the country.

He said, “The sound of begging, the sound of asking for food, the sound of asking for rice can be heard everywhere. We have never seen so many beggars on the streets before.”

Rizvi said these while speaking as the chief guest at an event to distribute Eid gifts on behalf of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

The event was held at Naya Paltan area in the capital Tuesday on the initiative of Zia Projonmo Dal as stated in a press release of BNP.

Rizvi said, “Ministers of the government say that Bangladesh has become developed like Canada, Europe. One of the ministers said that Bangladesh has outdone Singapore. But the media reports that a mother has taken her child out for selling.”

Commenting that howls and tears can be seen everywhere the BNP leader said, “If anyone opens an eatery to distribute free food today, poor people will be found thronging there in abundance. How much do the labouring people earn a month that they can buy potatoe for Tk 80 per kg or four lemons for Tk 120?”

Rizvi said that the government is very subtly attacking the cultural ​​and religious values ​​of the majority people of Bangladesh. Iftar in educational institutions is also being obstructed. And they did it to please their lords.

The BNP spokesperson also said that the whole world has not recognised the ‘illegal’ elections held under the rule of prime minister Sheikh Hasina. No matter if it’s the election of 2014, 2018 or 2024. But a neighboring country, which claims to be a democratic one is advocating for a party all over the world.

They are trying to legalise the illegal election. They don’t respect the Bangladeshi citizens nor do they believe in the freedom and sovereignty of Bangladesh. They just want one particular party to remain in power for life in Bangladesh and to cater to them.

Rizvi said that’s why people are protesting against them and boycotted their products.

Among others, BNP’s Dhaka divisional organising secretary Abdus Salam Azad, Jubo Dal’s literature and publication secretary Mehbub Masum, Chhatra Dal’s former joint general secretary Tauhidur Rahman and Dhaka south city BNP leader Firoz Alam were also present at the event.