NCP Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam on Saturday alleged that administrative negligence had left many flood-affected people in Chattogram without adequate assistance.
He made the remarks while presiding over a divisional rally at Rangpur Zilla School Ground, organised by an 11-party alliance to demand implementation of the referendum verdict, speedy execution of the Teesta Master Plan, an end to cross-border push-ins and measures to reduce public suffering.
Despite heavy rainfall, a large number of people attended the rally. Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman joined the programme as the chief guest.
Expressing concern over the flood situation in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar, Nahid said many affected families were not receiving sufficient support because of what he termed negligence by the local administration.
“We pray for the people affected by the floods in Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar. But we are seeing that many victims are not getting adequate assistance due to negligence by the local administration,” he said.
He also criticised the BNP-backed mayor of Chattogram, alleging that the city authorities had failed to take effective measures to address chronic waterlogging.
On border issues, Nahid accused the government of failing to prevent cross-border push-ins and border killings.
“If the government cannot stop push-ins or prevent border killings, it should remove the word ‘Nationalist’ from its name,” he said.
Referring to development disparities, Nahid alleged that Rangpur had once again been neglected in the national budget despite public expectations that the region would receive greater attention after the formation of the new government.
He claimed budget allocations for Rangpur had been reduced, no major development projects had been approved for the division and Rangpur City Corporation had been excluded from development funding.
Nahid also criticised the reduction in allocations for opposition constituencies, saying people should not be deprived of development benefits because of their elected representatives’ political positions.
“If necessary, stop the salaries of opposition MPs, but do not deprive people of their rightful allocations because their representatives criticise the government,” he said.
He also urged the government to implement the Teesta Master Plan and address what he described as longstanding discrimination against Rangpur.
He urged the government to allocate special funds for Rangpur and implement the Teesta Master Plan without further delay.
Nahid further accused the BNP of betraying the referendum verdict and failing to honour its political commitments, alleging that the party had repeatedly failed to uphold the spirit of past mass movements.
“We remain committed to implementing the referendum’s mandate and will continue our movement both inside parliament and on the streets,” he said.
Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmad, NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain and other senior leaders of the 11-party alliance also addressed the rally.
