Dhaka/

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed severely criticized the Election Commission for announcing EVMs in 150 seats in the 12th National Assembly elections and said that the Election Commission has once again proved that it is subordinate to the Sheikh Hasina government.

He said all this in a human chain in front of the National Press Club on Wednesday (August 24). This human chain was held in solidarity with the movement and strike demanding basic rights including 300 taka daily wages, housing, food, health and education demanded by the tea workers. The Nationalist Labor Party organized a human chain.

He said why the government is seeking help from foreigners to stay in power. The Election Commission proved that again yesterday. First of all, we have said that whoever this government appoints, regardless of their identity, their heart is Chhatra League and Juba League. Jubo League, Chhatra League will not go beyond the instructions that will come from Ganobhaban. We have said that this election commission is subordinate to Sheikh Hasina. This election commission does not have the power to conduct fair elections. He himself proved it again. In the dialogue he held with political parties, most of the parties spoke against EVMs. But on Tuesday he said that EVMs will be used in 150 seats. So what is this dialogue for?

Rizvi expressed solidarity with the demand of tea workers for a daily wage of Tk 300. He also urged the authorities to take appropriate steps to implement the workers’ demand of Tk 300 per day.

He said that the government has the responsibility to implement the demands of the workers. But I do not see any serious responsibility of the government here. At present, a laborer gets a wage of 120 rupees. Even if everything else is left out, is there a chance to eat with this money at the price of food? Earlier it was said that poor people eat rice with bharta-bhaji. Now admission-Vaji prices are high. Chilli is needed for filling, the price of which is touching the sky. Now we have to say to eat rice with some kind of salt. But he can afford to buy that rice.

Under the chairmanship of Sramik Dal President Anwar Hossain, BNP Labor Affairs Secretary Humayun Islam, Sramik Dal Publicity Secretary Manjurul Islam Manju and others also spoke at this time.