'Autocracy in the name of dev'
Eminent economist Prof Anu Muhammad termed the December 30 election “farcical”, and alleged that the ruling Awami League is continuing its “autocratic and fascist” rule in the name of development.
“Ayub Khan termed his tenure 'the decade of development' but the 1969 mass upsurge is a good example of what awaits such an autocratic ruler,” he said.
The Jahangirnagar University teacher made the remarks at a discussion organised by Ganasamhati Andolon at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in Dhaka, marking 50th anniversary of the mass upsurge.
“There is no point of holding elections to upazila, Ducsu and Jucsu, if the government plans to do same as it did with the December 30 polls,” he alleged.
Journalist Nurul Kabir, editor of the English daily New Age, alleged that some speakers at talkshows while discussing the mass upsurge have discussed various aspects of the movement without mentioning the contribution of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani.
Kabir said the 1969 movement aimed to ensure people's rights, and people of the country will one day wage a similar movement.
Ahmed Kamal, a history department professor at Dhaka University, alleged that the last election was “between people and state machineries”.
Ganasamhati Andolon Chief Coordinator Zonayed Saki said people of the region had ousted many autocratic rulers and “the incumbent government will be ousted soon”.
Among others, Shaheed Asad's brother engineer Rashid and Ganasamhati member Firoz Ahmed spoke at the discussion.
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