Dhaka Bureau: The Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Basad-Marxist) mass signature collection and rally was held with the call to form a mass movement with 5-point demands, including the resignation of the Awami League government, elections under non-partisan supervision, and a reduction in the prices of daily necessities.
On Saturday, February 25, the Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Basad-Marxist) Dhaka city branch organized a public signature collection program and rally at Paltan intersection in the city from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The five points are:
1. Immediate dissolution of the parliament and resignation of the government; election under the neutral supervision of the election party; radical reform of the electoral system, including the reorganization of the election commission; and introduction of a numerically representative election system.
2. lowering the prices of essential commodities and introducing a universal rationing system and state trading of essential food commodities.
3. Announcing a national minimum wage of Tk 20,000 for workers; purchasing food grains directly from farmers; waiving agricultural loans; and increasing subsidies in the agricultural sector.
4. Stop the trade in education and medicine, introduce unpaid education up to graduation, and ensure free medical care for all.
5. Putting an end to ongoing women-child abuse, rape, kidnapping, and murder.
BASAD (Marxist) Central Executive Forum Coordinator Masud Rana, Dhaka City Committee Coordinator and Central Executive Forum Member Dr. Joydeep Bhattacharya, Toufika Liza spoke in the rally held during the collection of public signatures.
The leaders said that the Awami League has made the country economically and politically poor during the last 14 years of rule. Workers, farmers, daily wage earners, and lower- and middle-class people have no way to survive. 95% of people’s wealth is in the hands of 5% of the country. The capitalists maintain this fascist regime for the sake of their free loot.
They called on the public to strengthen the left-wing democratic parties to build a mass movement demanding the restoration of democratic rights, including voting rights and freedom of expression, and the introduction of universal rationing to curb price hikes.
