The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Workers' Party leaders on Sunday urged the government to take extensive efforts, including launching of rationing system and mass-distribution of food, to save the life of crores of starving people.

"The emerging famine like situation during last three decades has created unprecedented disaster in the life of crores of people," Bangladesh Workers' Party general secretary Saiful Haque said at a press briefing here on Sunday morning.

Saiful Haque also urged the government to withdraw the state of emergency to ensure people's democratic right and free the captive politics in the country. "The government's proposed dialogue and declared roadmap to election can not gain public confidence," he said. Saiful suggested the government should hold a free, fair and neutral general election before the local government polls after completing the acceptable voter-list in the shortest possible time. "The ploy to hold the local government elections, including the upazila elections has to be stopped," he added.

He also said the food stock should be increased by collecting from local and international markets and the prices of essentials be kept under the buying capacity the common people stopping the import of the luxurious items. "The syndicate businessmen have to be arrested and brought under trial," he said.

Bangladesh Workers' Party president Khandaker Ali Abbas, politburo member Nasiruddin Ahmed Nashu, Abdus Salam, Shekander Hossain and Bahnishikha Jamali, among others, were present at the press conference.