Doubt Whether the Current Parliament Will Last Five Years, Nahid Islam Says in Jatrabari

Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and opposition chief whip in parliament, has expressed doubt whether the current Jatiya Sangsad will last five years. He said this in the Jatrabari area of the capital on Saturday afternoon, October 24.

The NCP's Dhaka metropolitan north and south units have called a mass protest programme at Shahbagh on October 30 in protest at the deterioration of law and order, rising prices of essentials, increased fuel prices and partisan appointments in state institutions. He joined a leaflet distribution programme in Jatrabari to make that programme a success.

Before the leaflet distribution, at a brief street meeting, Nahid Islam said the parliament election that was held after 16 years, the new Jatiya Sangsad that was formed, this parliament is not worth even two annas anymore. There is doubt whether this Jatiya Sangsad will last five years.

Explaining the reason for his doubt, he said there is no evaluation of the opposition's words in this Jatiya Sangsad. There is no evaluation of the people's voice.

Nahid Islam also believes that none of the administrators appointed to city corporations, municipalities and district councils should have the opportunity to take part in local government elections.

He called for the withdrawal of a recent remark by State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam that Dhaka South City Corporation administrator Abdus Salam would be a mayoral candidate in the coming city corporation election, referring to that remark in his speech.

On this issue he said, what kind of democracy is it for administrators to become candidates in local government elections again? None of the administrators appointed to city corporations, municipalities and district councils will be able to take part in local government elections, he said.

Nahid Islam also said they do not want to see a deterioration of law and order in the country. As a first step for that, the home minister must resign. In his claim, while the current home minister remains in charge, it is in no way possible to restore the law and order environment.

Secondly, he demanded that the energy minister must also resign, admitting responsibility for failure in the energy sector. These two demands are among the centres of their protest programme.

Demanding the formation of a constitution reform council, Nahid said the drama, the farce, that is going on in the name of a constitution amendment committee must be stopped. He also said the people have thrown this committee into the dustbin.

Present at the Jatrabari programme were Nasiruddin Patwary, the NCP's declared mayoral candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation, party political council member Ali Ahsan Junaid, and Dhaka metropolitan south member secretary S M Shahria, among others.

Meanwhile, ahead of the October 30 mass protest, the NCP also distributed leaflets in Uttara in Dhaka this afternoon. The party's senior joint member secretary Asif Mahmud Sajiv Bhuiyan, joint convener Ariful Islam Adib, Sarwar Tushar and others were present at that programme. All eyes are now on the October 30 Shahbagh programme.