No freedom without civic and political rights: AB Party

Amar Bangladesh Party, AB Party, organised a discussion meeting followed by an Iftar event celebrating Independence Day at Bijoy 71 square, close to AB Party central office in the capital on Tuesday.

Ishtiak Aziz Ulfat, veteran freedom fighter and president of Nationalist Muktijoddha Dal - a BNP affiliated platform for freedom fighters addressed the event as the chief guest, says a press release.

AFM Solaiman Chowdhury, AB Party convenor and a retired bureaucrat, presided over the session while Mojibur Rahman Monju, member secretary of the party, Asaduzzaman Fuaad, a barrister-at-law and joint member secretary of the party, also spoke, amongst others, as guests.

A number of other prominent freedom fighters also attended. Earlier in the day, party delegation paid a floral tribute at the the National Martyrs' Monument in Savar.

Ulfat said, "We could not vote in last fifteen years. A nation as old as 53 years could not yet hold a free, fair, credible elections is a collective shame as well as guilt. This regime had destroyed every institutions that a nation requires for its survival and thriving towards future. Although, we fought for a free country but we are yet to become independent. We feel hopeful once we see the younger generation taking the flag forward."

AFM Solaiman Chowdhury said, in his concluding speech, every poor citizen pays tax and vat as consumers while the ruling party thugs are depriving this nation of every entitlements.

Mojibur Rahman Monju, member secretary of AB Party, said, this regime has no difference than that of Pakistani military junta in actions. Every day people are struggling to survive and have a descent meal prior to dawn and at Iftar. The ruling party had not only stolen the people’s right to vote but also access to a descent living, after five decades. Independence was to ease the lives of average citizens while the reality is completely different.

Barrister Fuaad said, "We had tremendous aspiration as regards our glorious independence but successive governments had failed this nation so miserably. Awami League became by the name of famine, poverty, economic mismanagement, loot and plunder."

Endless stories of fake development have made no real difference in public life, he added.

Fuaad said BBS survey found that over 40 million citizens are getting into debt trap to meet their daily ends. Slums are getting more destitute everyday, rich areas are becoming poorer. This is how development looks like under an unelected authoritarian regime led by Awami League.