Leaders of Jatiya Juba Shakti, youth wing of National Citizen Party (NCP), alleged on Sunday that BNP came to power promising one crore jobs but has instead created one crore extortionists.
They made the claim during a siege programme at the head office of the Department of Youth Development in the city’s Motijheel, staged in protest against question leak in recruitment examination for the post of Assistant Upazila Youth Development Officer.
During the protest, the organisation demanded the immediate resignation of State Minister for Youth and Sports Development Md Aminul Haque and placed a five-point charter of demands.
‘No effective plan for youth employment’
Delivering his speech at the event, Advocate Tarikul Islam, president of Jatiya Juba Shakti, charged that the government has failed to present any effective plan for youth employment.
He alleged that although the BNP promised one crore jobs, it has created one crore extortionists instead.
Islam further noted that although various training schemes and programmes exist under the Ministry of Youth Development, no effective initiatives were undertaken to reactivate them after the government assumed power, forcing young people to rely on political identity to secure employment opportunities.
Islam highlighted that despite information regarding the question leak emerging the night before the examination, the government took no effective measures before the test commenced, casting serious doubt on the transparency of the recruitment process.
Reiterating the demand for the resignation of State Minister Aminul, he stated that allegations of irregularities and corruption are surfacing in the recruitment process rather than ensuring employment for young people.
“The youth of Bangladesh have never had their rightful share delivered by any political party; we have always taken to the streets to secure what is ours,” Islam added.
Allegations of politicisation
Addressing the gathering, Engineer Farhad Sohel, general secretary of Jatiya Juba Shakti, accused the BNP of rapidly trying to become like the Awami League by attempting to politicise state apparatuses and render them ineffective.
“The youth of Bangladesh have been repeatedly deprived and toyed with, and the BNP has engaged in a new game once again,” Sohel remarked.
He also questioned the basis of appointment of the state minister in charge of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, while demanding an immediate end to question-leak syndicates and the harassment of job seekers under the guise of police verification.
Rifat Rashid, organising secretary of Jatiya Juba Shakti, suggested that information surrounding the question leak points to much broader irregularities in the recruitment examination.
“We suspect there was a disagreement over the sharing of spoils this time, which is why someone published the news of the question leak; otherwise, the incident would not have come to light,” Rashid claimed.
Pointing out that 3,19,000 candidates applied for just 242 posts, Rashid said the figure highlights a severe crisis in the country’s job market. He alleged that instead of evaluating merit, recruitment is being manipulated through quotas, inflated viva marks, and political connections.
“Do not kick the youth in the stomach and play with them; the court of youth is not your football that you will kick and they will sit quietly and take it,” Rashid warned.
Five-point charter of demands
From the siege programme, Advocate Tarikul Islam announced the organisation’s five-point charter of demands. The primary demand is the resignation of State Minister for Youth and Sports Development Aminul.
The organisation also demanded the formation of an independent and neutral probe committee to investigate the question leak, along with ensuring the arrest and punishment of those responsible.
Additionally, Jatiya Juba Shakti called for an end to politicisation, favouritism, and irregularities in recruitment to ensure merit-based selection.
The remaining demands include stopping harassment in the name of verification, ending the manipulation of viva marks, creating employment opportunities for unemployed youth, and publishing a specific government action plan for youth development.
