Gana Adhikar Parishad General Secretary Rashed Khan criticized the appointment of a health adviser, saying, “Someone whose own health is not in good condition, and who is a student of the Bangla department, has been made a doctor and health expert.
People should be given responsibilities according to their expertise. Then, in the past year, we could have seen many reforms.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s example of nepotism is the Health Adviser Nurjahan Begum . What is the government’s role today in the education and healthcare sectors? At Faridpur Medical, things are the same as before—no change at all.”
He made these remarks on Thursday at 1:30 PM during an exchange meeting organized by the district Gana Adhikar Parishad at the Liakat Hossain Auditorium of Faridpur Press Club.
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Rashed Khan said, “In July–August, BNP, Jamaat, Gana Adhikar Parishad, and others fought together against the fascists. On that day, the people of Faridpur came out in large numbers and drove away the goons of Awami League and Chhatra League with brooms. As a result, we achieved a mass uprising.”
Criticizing the former government, he said, “In Faridpur, development only happened for the Awami League–Chhatra League cadres, and for former minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, my brother-in-law. There has been no development for ordinary people. If you look at the 32 km Faridpur–Bhanga highway full of potholes, you will understand what kind of development took place.”
Rashed Khan also criticized the advisers of the interim government, saying, “After the mass uprising, we had high hopes for the current government’s advisers. They said they would disclose their assets, but they never did so publicly. In the past year, no roads have been developed, and corruption, extortion, and land grabbing have not stopped. There has been no visible reform. Has municipal corruption stopped? Has police station corruption stopped? Corruption in no sector has stopped. So, what reform are we talking about? They have dangled a carrot in front of us. Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s government has dangled that carrot even to those who fought and shed blood in the uprising. Now they are saying—no election before major reforms; no election in February. But if the election is not held, what will the government do? Does it have the capacity to hold onto power? No. That’s why the national election will be held next February.”
He further criticized the student coordinators of Gana Adhikar Parishad, saying, “Anti-discrimination student leaders were given roles in various government offices as student representatives. Later, these student representatives got involved in extortion, tender manipulation, and corruption. Whose fault is that? It’s the fault of the advisory council, and the fault of chief adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, because he never told them: you are the pride of the nation, you brought us the mass uprising, now go back to your classes. Instead, he encouraged them to form political groups and put them on a pedestal. DCs and SPs, upon hearing the coordinators’ names, would invite them in, offer them the neighboring chair, and if possible, even give up their own chair to please them. Such excessive flattery has confused the students. I am not talking about all students—only those who did this. Now these students are going to DC and SP offices and acting bossy. We did not expect this after the uprising. The way things are going now, the country cannot run like this.”
He concluded by demanding the arrest of GM Quader and Chunnu of the Awami League–aligned Jatiya Party.
The exchange meeting was chaired by Faridpur district Gana Adhikar Parishad president Mohammad Farhad Hossain Mollah. Other speakers included Faridpur district general secretary Molla Mohammad Farhad Mia, Boalmari upazila president Lablu Sharif, Faridpur Sadar upazila president Raju Ahmed, Bhanga upazila convener Anisur Rahman, Chhatra Adhikar Parishad president Hridoy Ahmed, Juba Adhikar Parishad president Saidur Rahman, Shramik Adhikar Parishad president Jewel Bhandari, and Salta upazila president Faruk Fakir. District leaders also demanded through Rashed Khan that the government declare a new division named after Faridpur.
