Rizvi urges for dignified society beyond procession-based politics

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday urged political and professional organisations to move beyond procession-centric politics and work towards building a society where all professionals can live with dignity and pride.

He made the remarks while inaugurating an organisational action plan of the Bangladesh Nationalist Motor Drivers' Association at the ground floor of the BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

Rizvi said forming organisations merely to organise rallies and meetings is not sufficient, stressing that motor vehicle drivers and other professionals must be able to live with respect and without harassment, including police harassment. He said laws should be framed and implemented with these realities in mind.

He observed that poor, working and labouring people are the most affected by harassment and oppression in the country. To ensure a dignified life for them, Rizvi said, professions such as motor vehicle driving must be recognised and developed as respectable occupations.

Sharing his experiences abroad, the BNP leader said many educated Bangladeshis, including university graduates, engineers and even doctors, work as Uber or taxi drivers in the United States while maintaining a decent standard of living.

“There is no class discrimination there. A taxi driver and a professional enjoy the same social respect,” he said, adding that Bangladesh must move towards a society where there is no divide between so-called big and small jobs.

Rizvi said BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has committed to building an inclusive and dignified society through his 31-point reform programme and other initiatives.

He also noted that many educated youths remain unemployed even after completing higher education and should have opportunities, as in developed countries, to earn a livelihood through services such as ride-sharing.

“For that to happen, the state must come forward with policy support and enact the necessary laws,” he added.

BNP Volunteer Affairs Secretary Mir Sarafat Ali Shafu, Assistant Organising Secretary Aminul Islam, Health Affairs Secretary Rafiqul Islam and Bangladesh Nationalist Motor Drivers' Association Member Secretary AKM VP Musa, among others, spoke at the programme.