BNP leaders have gone deaf and blind: Dr Zafrullah
The backbone of the nation is being broken with educational institutions being kept closed, he added
Even though BNP has many experienced leaders, they have gone deaf and dumb today. The government is making one mistake after another, but they [BNP] are just watching inactively.
Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury stated this while addressing a discussion meeting on the occasion of the 51st anniversary of Independent People's Democratic East Bengal Declaration Day. The meeting was organised by the 20-party alliance partner Jatiya Party at the National Press Club on Tuesday.
Dr Zafrullah said although all the offices, markets, courts, madrasas, and maktabs have reopened after the countrywide shutdown ended, educational institutions are still closed. He said this is because the government is afraid that if the universities and halls are opened, the students might take to streets and wage a movement to topple the government.
Calling upon the country's people to stand beside the students in their efforts to reopen the educational institutions, the eminent physician said, "The backbone of the nation is being broken with educational institutions being kept closed. Meanwhile, lazy children are going to the dogs, joining teen gangs and being influenced by watching Hindi films idly."
Commenting that none of the senior leaders of the Awami League is beside the prime minister at present, he said, "The prime minister is alone. The ruling Awami League government, without an active prime minister, is going in the wrong direction. The boat is running without a boatman."
Addressing BNP's leaders, Zafrullah said, "Your only issue is the release of Begum Zia. Even then, you do not have the courage to raise the demand boldly, keeping your spine straight. Khaleda Zia is ill, she is not being allowed to go abroad for treatment. Rights are to be realised."
Jatiya Party chairman Mostafa Jamal Haider chaired the meeting addressed by, among others: BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, economist Mahbub Ullah, BNP Vice Chairman Nitai Roy Chowdhury, and Jatiya Party Secretary General Ahsan Habib Link.