Gonoshasthya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury on Thursday said India should be given a strong message as it is “trying to disturb Bangladesh’s economy”.
“India’s focus is on how to devastate the economy of Bangladesh. That’s why they’re now conspiring. They suddenly stopped onion export flouting the international rules as part of this plot,” he said.
Speaking at a human-chain programme, Zafrullah said, "India’s current attitude towards Bangladesh can't continue. India needs to be given a final message. We must be vocal against it. Let's all unite and put up a resistance against India.”
He also suggested the government to stop transit facilities to India to give it a “lesson for its hegemonic attitude. We must raise our voices collectively against India.”
Zafrullah alleged that India has subtly kept BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia ‘confined’ to her Gulshan house and ‘restrained’ Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by bureaucrats and the followers of the Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). “This situation can’t continue. We must give India a befitting reply.”
After speaking at the programme for two and a half minutes, Zafrullah fell sick and quickly left the spot.
Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal and Muktijoddha Projonmo arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, protesting the widespread border killing, growing price hike of daily essentials, including onion, and the ‘knee-jerk’ foreign policy of the government.
Speaking at the programme, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna said the country’s economy is now in a bad shape due to plundering and siphoning off public money abroad. “The thieves, dacoits and looters are sending public money abroad.”
He said the government is not taking steps to check corruption and plundering by the ruling party men as it has taken a position against people only to cling to power.
Manna urged people to get organised and united to take to the streets to unseat the current government. “We must succeed if we can do it.”
BNP joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said though the current government claims of having blood relations with India, BSF are often killing Bangladeshis along the border.
"Bangladesh-India border conference started today (Thursday). But the incident of border killing happened even yesterday (Wednesday). The government's subservient foreign policy is responsible for it,” he said.
Alal urged the government to take steps for reining in the unusual price hike of all essentials, including onion.
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