The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party standing committee member Mirza Abbas on Monday said that there was no joy of Eid among the country鈥檚 people as they were celebrating it amid financial crisis.
鈥楨id means happiness. But this happiness is absent among the people of Bangladesh. They鈥檙e not in a position to enjoy this happiness,鈥� he said.
Speaking to reporters by the side of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman鈥檚 grave, Abbas also said that the joy typically associated with Eid had remained elusive for the country鈥檚 people for the last 15 years.
He said that the people used to celebrate Eid with huge enthusiasm during the Khaleda Zia-led BNP government, but that sense of Eid joy is not felt by people now.
鈥楶eople鈥檚 pain and suffering are evident on their strained faces鈥� They are sacrificing animals with great difficulty. There鈥檚 a cattle market for sacrificial animals near my home (Shahjahanpur). I noticed that many traders couldn鈥檛 sell their cows, indicating a noticeable shortage of money among the people,鈥� the BNP leader said.
The BNP senior leader said that the people of Bangladesh were enduring serious hardships because an 鈥榠llegitimate and unelected鈥� government was in power.
鈥業f there were an elected government, the people wouldn鈥檛 be suffering like they are Today鈥檚 doodle l. This contrast is evident... What was the situation when there was an elected government, and what is the situation today?鈥� He observed.
The BNP leader expressed solidarity with the thousands of leaders and workers of the party who are in prison.
Abbas said that the people of the country were trapped like octopuses from all around. 鈥榃hat is political, what is economic, what is social, and what is geographical situation now? If we talk about the geographical situation, we are not in a good position and we are not at peace.鈥�
He also voiced concern over a tense situation and crisis on Saint Martin鈥檚 Island, which is entirely within Bangladesh.
鈥楾he island is facing a food crisis and has become isolated from other parts of the country. Food cannot be supplied there. Why? Because of fear of Myanmar鈥檚 military forces. But during 1978-79, Myanmar humbly knelt down and offered an apology to the then President of Bangladesh (Ziaur Rahman). Myanmar has now become so audacious that they are glaring at us with red eyes,鈥� Abbas bemoaned.
He said that Myanmar was showing audacity as 鈥榯he current illegal Awami League government鈥� lacked support both domestically and internationally.
The BNP leader said that many other countries were showing a big brother attitude to Bangladesh due to the submissive foreign policy of the current regime. 鈥楾his government is unable to make its own decisions under others鈥� influence.鈥�
He also accused the government of spreading lies about the actual situation in Myanmar.
About the recent reshuffle in BNP, Abbas said they were doing it as a regular democratic process to revamp the party.
Abbas, along with some party leaders, went to Zia鈥檚 grave in the capital around 11:30 am and offered fateha there, marking Eid-ul-Azha.
They also offered a special munajat, seeking the salvation of Zia鈥檚 departed soul.鈥�
