‘Manabatar Bazar’ halted in Barishal
Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) yesterday alleged that a vested quarter is pressuring to close their relief activities in Barishal city, including their "Manabatar Bazar" initiative.
Alleging that they are being victim of a "political conspiracy", BSD held a press conference at the party office at Fakir Bari.
Manisha Chakrabarty, member secretary of the party, read out a written statement that said since April 12 last year, the organisation has been conducting the Manabatar Bazar initiative, along with free oxygen bank and coronavirus ambulance services, free treatment for corona patients, agricultural initiatives, and running a school.
The Manabatar Bazar, an initiative to provide Covid-hit poor people with grocery free of charge, was set up at Matrichhaya Kindergarten at Fakir Bari, near the party office. It ran for a while until closing late last year.
This year, the organisation contacted Amrita Lal Dey College on Hospital Road to resume the initiative. However, despite getting permission from the college authorities, BSD says it was soon revoked.
"The authorities are now refusing to allow us at the college, where we have been running the Manabatar Bazar since May 6 (this year). We have come to know that the college authorities have been asked not to let their premises be used for our relief work by members of an influential political party," she said.
"The college authorities told us they cannot disclose who told them to do so," she added.
"We went on to contact a few more educational institutions. At first, they allowed it, but later expressed reluctance due to similar 'political pressure'. Since BSD is the only political party in Barishal city continuously distributing relief during the Covid-19 outbreak, this obstruction has made life hard for a lot of marginalised people," she said.
"Political and influential quarters have turned our political rivalry into a conspiracy to stop our good work," she added. "But these obstacles cannot stop our activities. We will continue our relief work in alternative ways," she said.
Asked, Subhash Chandra Pal, principal of Amrita Lal Dey College, said the college governing body had initially given permission for Manabatar Bazar, but later revoked it.
He refused to cite a specific reason.
Contacted, Barishal district Awami League secretary Talukdar Md Yunus declined to comment over the matter.
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