NN Online:
Hamidur Rahman Azad, Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has said that the demands of the officials and employees of the Rural Electrification Board (REB) cannot be dismissed as unreasonable. He emphasized that no form of discrimination should exist in the new Bangladesh and urged the Chief Adviser of the interim government to immediately resolve the issue through discussion.
On Tuesday afternoon, while expressing solidarity with the protesting REB workers at the Central Shaheed Minar, he stated that the workers did not block roads or cause public suffering. By maintaining uninterrupted power services and protesting in an orderly manner, they have proven themselves to be true patriots. Their rightful movement cannot be diverted or discredited by labeling it as a conspiracy.
Addressing the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Azad said: as the guardian of the nation, you must swiftly resolve the issue of rural electrification. Take effective steps without delay so the workers can return to serving the country promptly.
Maulana Jalal Ahmed, Secretary General of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, also expressed solidarity with the movement. He stated that action must be taken regarding those employees who were unjustly terminated. He added that while there was no regret in losing jobs under a fascist regime, if such injustice continues even after the ‘July Uprising,’ it is entirely unacceptable. He expressed full support for the seven-point demand of the REB workers.
In addition, Nurul Islam Bulbul, Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dhaka South chapter, questioned who is really behind this movement. He alleged that those pushing the workers toward protest by ignoring their voices are the real allies of autocracy and are working to destabilize the country. He called for both parties to sit together immediately and resolve the issue through dialogue. He warned that if just demands are not met and the streets heat up again, it will only embolden fascism. Therefore, the issue must be resolved without delay through immediate discussion.
Others who expressed solidarity with the movement include Habibur Rahman Habib, advisor to the BNP Chairperson; Jamaat-e-Islami Central Working Committee member Mobarak Hossain; Dhaka South Assistant Secretary General Kamal Hossain; as well as leaders from NCP, “July Unity,” and various social and cultural organizations.
