A senior leader of the ruling Awami League (AL), Mohammad Nasim, censured home minister MK Alamgir on Friday for making what he said were “irresponsible” remarks on the Savar tragedy, observing that such comments by a responsible minister damage the government’s image. “Please, Mr. Alamgir, don’t make such ridiculous comments for the sake of protecting the government’s image. Try to unearth the real picture of the incident,” suggested Nasim, a former home minister and member of the presidium of the governing party, while addressing a discussion organized by Bangamata Parisad at the city’s Public Library. The former home minister also called upon the incumbent home minister to shun the practice of shifting the blame on others, instead of finding out the actual facts of an incident.
Earlier, on Wednesday night, home minister MK Alamgir told BBC Radio’s Bangla service that some BNP-Jamaat miscreants might have shaken the cracked pillars of the Rana Plaza, which could have caused the collapse of the eight-storied building, killing hundreds of people and injuring thousands.
Echoing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the senior AL leader said stern action would be taken against those responsible for the building collapse, irrespective of their political identities.
Since a number of garments workers was demonstrating on Friday demanding exemplary punishment for those responsible for the collapse of the building at Savar which had housed several garments factories, resulting in the deaths of a number of their colleagues, Nasim also urged them not to carry out destructive activities over the issue, such as blockading roads and vandalising transport facilities and factories.
The Awami League leader also called upon the Hefazat-e-Islam to postpone their Dhaka blockade programme, scheduled for May 5, taking the Savar tragedy into consideration.
Meanwhile, minister without portfolio and AL advisory council member Suranjit Sengupta called upon the Opposition not to engage in politicking on the issue of the Savar building collapse. “This is not the time for making provocative remarks. It is the time to forge a national unity to overcome the situation,” Sengupta said, addressing another discussion in the city.
He said that the persons who had forced the workers to enter the cracked building have committed crimes against humanity. They must be brought to justice, he added.
The AL leader further said that Sohel Rana, the owner of Rana Plaza, would not be spared. A case has already been filed against him and the other persons responsible. They will certainly have to face trial, Sengupta noted.
Courtesy of The Independent
