Upazila polls prove people are not with this govt: Manna

Nagorik Oikya president Mahmudur Rahman Manna speaking at a sit-in organised by the party in the capital on Friday.

Dhaka, May 10 - Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna on Friday said the poor voter turnout in the first phase of the Upazila Parishad elections has manifested that the country’s people are not with the government.

“People did not vote for this government (during January 7 national election) and they still don’t cast vote for it… the (first phase of ) upazila elections were held and it was seen there have never been so low voter turnout in the upazila polls in the history of Bangladesh like these ones,” he said.

Speaking at a sit-in programme, Manna said the Prime Minister in her speech in parliament on Thursday said she does not care about anything since the people are with her.

“What did you mean by people? Does it mean that Obaidul Quader is with you? Is there anyone with you? Even, people belonging to your party are not with you. Had they been with you, they would have gone to cast their votes on January 7 and they would have gone to cast their votes in the upazila elections,” he observed.

Nagorik Odhikar Andolon arranged the sit-in programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club to protest the increase in electricity and fuel oil prices and railway fares, and to demand the unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and other state prisoners.

Manna slammed the government for its failure to control growing prices of essential commodities amid the hikes in the tariffs of utility services.

“This government can't reduce the prices of goods and electricity. But the amount of foreign debt is now more than one hundred billion dollars...a special meeting of the Economic Council was held to repay the loans due to pressure by the foreign landers,” he said.

The Nagorik Oikya President said the government does not have sufficient dollars to import goods from abroad for three months as the expatriate Bangladeshis are not sending money through legal channels as they know this regime is a thief.

He said the country’s shabby economic condition has demonstrated that it is the government, not the opposition parties that has become weak.

Manna urged the country’s people to get ready to wage a fresh movement to get rid of misrule and sufferings by ousting the fragile government.- UNB