Govt must meet people’s expectations: Rizvi

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said the interim government must fulfil the aspirations of the people.
"The interim government formed through a revolution must fulfil people's aspirations. In case of any lacking in fulfilling their aspirations, political parties will speak for the general public," he added.
Mr Rizvi made the observations while distributing winter clothes among the poor at a programme hosted by the Dhaka north unit of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal at Mohammadpur on Sunday.
He also blamed the Yunus-led transitional government for its failure to control the sky-rocketing prices of essential commodities.
"Seize illegal toll collectors. If you (the government) control them, the prices of essentials will come down," said the BNP leader.
"People will be disappointed if you can't give them relief like the immediate-past regime," he said categorically.
"The prices of food and other essentials are yet to come down. Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal buys vegetables and sells those at subsidised rates to the public. This is the characteristic of a democratic political party."
When there was no democracy in Hasina's time, Mr Rizvi said, the BNP had waged movement against the Awami League regime.
He said dozens of BNP leaders and activists were tortured, arrested and killed and became victims of enforced disappearances during her fascist rule.
Mr Rizvi further said that leaders and members of Jatiyatabadi Krishak Dal would work for the development of the agriculture sector.
He said university graduates could work for the peasantry to help the country achieve self-sufficiency in agriculture.
Mr Rizvi urged the government to arrest the policemen who committed crimes during the student-mass uprising against Hasina.
"Your responsibility is to bring to book those in the administration and police who committed crimes during the July-August uprising. If you give them better posting instead of punishing, people won't see it positively."
Responding to an adviser's comment on reforms, Mr Rizvi said the remarks about reforms sounded boastful.
"If you want to carry out reforms, it won't take much time to complete reforms on election, democracy and the rule of law," he continued.
The BNP leader said the fascist Hasina had snatched away people's voting right during her dictatorial regime in the last 15 years.
"If there is any delay in holding the general election," he said, "people will naturally think you (the government) don't like to give back people's voting right."

[email protected]