BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday said police have recovered 13,000 of around 15,000 children reported missing in the past few months, attributing the achievement to increased police activity under the government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
“If 15,000 children go missing within just a few months, it can create panic in a state and among everyone. But because Tarique Rahman’s government is in place today, the police have remained highly active and have recovered 13,000 children,” he said.
Rizvi made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled “Recent Gas and Electricity Crisis: What the Government and People Should Do,” organised by Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas).
Rizvi said the recovery of 13,000 children is a major piece of news that should not be overlooked.
“This is huge news, but somehow it is going unnoticed. It is such a frightening matter. Those involved and the syndicates behind it need to be identified and given exemplary punishment. This has created fear among everyone,” he said.
Rizvi said the government has its own role, initiatives and efforts to address various problems, but attempts have been made to create disorder on the streets and confuse public opinion by bypassing those efforts.
He said being an opposition party does not simply mean organising programmes on the streets or threatening to occupy the streets.
He said both the government and opposition should play responsible roles in a democratic system.
“This crisis was not created by Tarique Rahman, nor was it created by his government. The crisis is global,” he said, referring to the current energy crisis.
He said the government has not remained idle by blaming past failures.
“The government is not sitting idle. An additional Tk 40,000 crore has been allocated outside the budget for this sector so that gas can be brought quickly from neighbouring or nearby countries such as Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia. Work is being done in this regard,” he said.
“There is a war, and on the other hand, there is a problem with our terminal in Maheshkhali that needs to be repaired. These two factors have created the current situation,” he said.
Special guests at the seminar included State Minister for Cultural Affairs Ali Newaz Mahmud Khaiyam, and Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Kamrul Ahsan, among others.