‘5 August did not come suddenly, 17 years of struggle lie behind it’: Water resources minister
Photo: Collected
Water Resources Minister and BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee has said, ‘We had to fight and struggle for 17 years for 5 August. 5 August did not come suddenly. You and we, our students and youths, young men and women, created this context by staying in the field and carrying on the movement.’
He said this while speaking as the chief guest at a specialised free medical camp, eye camp and medicine distribution programme on the premises of Zillur Rahim College in the Mandari area of Chandraganj upazila in Lakshmipur on Saturday (19 September) afternoon. The district Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) and Lions International District 315 A-3 jointly organised the programme.
The minister said, ‘The day we took oath, the opposition did not turn up. From the first day until today, the opposition has been non-cooperating with the ruling party in every way at every moment. Because of this non-cooperation, some want to come in December. If the opposition had not given this opportunity, had not held the long march, they would not have got this opportunity.’
He further said, ‘They (the opposition) want to come to power in future by keeping BNP under pressure. Can one come to power this way? This time they wanted to come to power by talking of heaven. A week before the vote, with ID cards in hand, they took some votes by giving money. They extracted votes by striking at the weak spots of some of our people. So we have to stay cautious and alert in future.’
Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee said, ‘BNP and Tarique Rahman’s government will not accept anyone harming Bangladesh and the people by taking any opportunity. Because we have come here only after fighting and struggling for the people for a long time.’
He said, ‘The election was held on 12 February. Through that election we got the responsibility of running the country, and we are carrying out that responsibility.’
District BNP Joint Convener Hasibur Rahman, Noakhali district Civil Surgeon Dr Anwar Hossain, Chandraganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Nilufa Yasmin Nipa and Chandraganj upazila BNP President Belal Hossain, among others, were also present at the programme.
