Transport sectors must be freed from mafia: Rizvi

The country’s education system and moral foundation were destroyed during the previous fascist government, while long-standing anarchy, extortion and mafia control also developed in the road transport sector, said BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. He said that if the education sector is destroyed, the entire nation becomes paralyzed. Similarly, the road transport sector must be freed from mafia-based control and legal order must be restored.

Rizvi made these remarks while addressing a teachers’ rally as the chief guest organized by the Teachers-Employees Unity Council on the occasion of World Teachers’ Day at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in the capital on Thursday (October 8). He also made the remarks while speaking to journalists after paying tribute at the graves of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia along with leaders of the new committee of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that during the previous government, instead of ensuring quality education, politics was centered on showing pass rates of 90 to 95 percent. Even teachers and education officials were reportedly pressured from the higher authorities to pass students even if they did not write anything in their answer scripts.

He said, “Just as the entire body becomes paralyzed when the backbone of a nation is weakened, the entire nation becomes paralyzed when the education sector is destroyed.” The quality of education in the country has declined significantly due to excessive politicization. While importance was given to glorifying individuals and publishing their photographs in textbook pages, moral education was neglected.

Addressing teachers, the BNP leader said that alongside movements, the teaching community must also take responsibility for providing students with proper education. Along with achieving their demands, ensuring the quality of education is also extremely important.

He said BNP has always maintained coordination between its commitments and their implementation. The party is aware of the legitimate demands of the teaching community. Under BNP’s vision and plans, the teaching community will not be deprived of its rightful dues.

Regarding the road transport sector, Rizvi said that the long-standing anarchy and extortion in the sector during the fascist regime must be stopped and a comfortable environment must be created for the people. Immediate effective measures are needed to free the road sector from so-called mafia-based control.

He expressed hope that the new leadership of the Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation would remain vocal in bringing an end to the long-standing stalemate in the transport sector and bringing about change. At the same time, they would play a leading role in protecting the interests of ordinary workers and improving the quality of passenger services.

Rizvi said the road transport sector would be modernized and reorganized through new ideas and plans. It is necessary to eliminate the long-standing disorder, make the road transport system fully compliant with the law and set a new example in passenger services.

He further said political leadership must play a responsible role in bringing a permanent end to the continuous anarchy of the past 17 years.

Teachers and employees’ leaders from across the country were present at the teachers’ rally chaired by Teachers-Employees Unity Council President Principal Selim Bhuiyan. Among others, BNP leader and Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, BNP Organizing Secretary for Volunteer Affairs Mir Sarafat Ali Safu, Assistant Secretary for Finance Affairs Mahmudur Rahman Sumon, and Teachers-Employees Unity Council Secretary General Chowdhury Mukim Uddin Mahmud spoke at the event.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of the national road transport workers’ organization, led by its newly elected President and former Member of Parliament Nazim Uddin Alam, Executive President Mortazul Karim Badru and General Secretary Rezaul Islam Raju, arrived at the graves of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia with banners and a procession. Later, Rizvi paid tribute there along with the leaders of the new committee.