Home Minister feels the heat for ‘loose’ comment

Two leaders of the ruling Awami League have criticised the comments by the Home Minister following the devastating collapse of a nine-storey building in Savar.

Rana-Plaza

Awami League Presidium Member and Communication Minister Obaidul Quader urged Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir to not make any loose comments about the massive crisis at Savar.

Rescuers have come up with a list of 659 people who are still missing in the most fatal incident of a building collapse in the country.

Mohammad Nasim, another Presidium member, urged the Home Minister to come out of the tendency to place blames on others. The Home Minister in the 1996 government, Nasim also expressed his displeasure at the fact that the building’s owner was still at large.

Alamgir in an interview to BBC on Wednesday, the day of the disaster, said he had information that suggested some pro-shutdown activists shook the building and its collapsible gate before the disaster. He stated that it may be a cause of the collapse of the vulnerable structure.

The Home Minister repeated this claim to reporters the next day.

When asked about his reaction, Obaidul Quader who was taking part in a programme in Munshiganj said, “The tragedy at Savar is a humanitarian crisis. The time requires the government and the opposition to work together. It is important to contribute to the rescue efforts and stand by the helpless victims and not make loose claims…”

He also said those responsible for this massive loss of life should be quickly prosecuted.

Nasim who was taking part at a discussion in the capital on Friday said, “The government’s influential ministers are making unnecessary comments and tainting the government in the eye of the public. Blame is being put on others for any incident.”

He urged those responsible to come out of the culture of playing the blame game.

Nasim also demanded that Savar’s Upazila Executive Officer be removed and punished for permitting the use of the nine-storey building even after big cracks appeared in its structure the day before.

He demanded the immediate arrest of the building’s owner Mohammad Sohel Rana, a local Jubo League leader. “Everyone knows who the owner is. There is no need for evidence and investigation in this matter. Why did he run away? Only criminals run after committing crimes. The criminal has to be arrested and punished no matter who he is.”

Death toll in the Savar tragedy swelled to 304 on Friday afternoon, roughly after 50 hours since the collapse of Rana Plaza, with around 2,000 people injured and still more trapped under the rubble.

Source: bdnews24

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  1. SERIOUS SAVAR-IMPACT ON OUR ECONOMY – BANGLA NEWS TV – LA – USA –
    Khan Quddus সাভারের গার্মেন্টস শ্রমিকের মৃত্যুর ঘটনায়, আমেরিকা গার্মেন্টের কোটা কমিয়ে দিচ্ছে সাভারের বাসভবন ধসের ঘটনায় আমারিকার সব থেকে বড় গার্মেন্ট প্রডাক্ট ক্রেতা বাংলাদেশ থেকে গার্মেণ্ট ক্রয় কমিয়ে দিয়ে ভিয়েতনাম থেকে প্রডাক্ট কেনার সিদ্ধান্ত গ্রহণ করেছে। ওয়াল মাররেট মুখপাত্র স্টীভ মার্টিন বাংলা নিউজ টিভিকে বলেছে, বাংলাদেশের গার্মেণ্ট মালিকদের ইতি মধ্যেই বলা হয়েছে, বাংলাদেশের গার্মেন্ট মালিকদের কোন ক্রমেই সাব কন্ট্রাক্ট ব্যবহার করতে দেয়া হবে না। অর্থাৎ বাংলাদেশে গার্মেন্ট মালিকদের যত টুকু কেপাসিটি রয়েছে ততটুকু প্রডাক্ট সাপ্লাই ই ওয়ালমার্ট গ্রহণ করবে। তাতে ধারনা করা হচ্ছে, এই পদ্ধতি বাংলাদেশের কোটার মাত্র অর্ধেক পূরণ করা সম্ভব হবে। সাভারের বাসভবন ধসার ঘটনার পূর্বে বাংলাদেশের যেকোনো কোম্পানি বড় ধরনের অর্ডার পেলে অন্যরা সাব কন্টাক্ট নিয়ে কাজ করে দু-পয়সা রোজগার করতে পারত এবং গার্মেণ্ট শ্রমিকদের চাকুরীর নিশ্চয়তা দেয়া যেতে পারতো। এখন আমেরিকান সরকার অর্থাৎ আমেরিকা কংগ্রেস বিষয়টি নিজের হাতে নিয়ে নতুন আইন করে বাংলাদেশের গার্মেন্ট শিল্পকে কন্ট্রোল করার সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে।আমেরিকান কংগ্রেস মনে করে বাংলাদেশের গার্মেন্ট শ্রমিকদের নিরাপত্তা দেওয়ার বিশয়ে বাংলাদেশ সরকার ও গার্মেন্ট মালিকদের উদাসীনতাই সাভাবের শ্রমিকদের মৃত্যুর জন্য দায়ী।”MUJIB- HASINA’S TRADITION OF FAVORITISM AND CORRUPTION HAS TO STOP

    Newspaper report shows the SAVAR PLAZA tragedy was a result of Awami Jubo League leader’s irresponsibility in dealing with the whole issue. Walmart is withdrawing its quota in Bangladesh. Those of us who lived in the Mujib era, know the corrupt system Mujib introduced in the newly born Bangladesh was known then as the “bhai culture” (favoritism to his cadres.) This system to nourish Mujib’s cadres was both his strength as well as his weakness. This system was partially responsible for the 1974 man-made famine which ultimately led to anarchy and then Mujib’s declaration of the state of emergency followed by the army coup to get rid of his authoritarian rule. For Bangladesh to grow, accountability has to replace Awami favoritism and corruption.

    Unfortunately, Hasina renamed this failed leader, hated man of the 74-75 as the father of the nation. She has rewritten a false history of Bangladesh by glorifying Mujib. Bangladesh to survive has to get rid of both the Mujib symbol and party favoritism. Unfortunately Mujib’s tradition of favoritism now boldly followed by Hasina to loot banks and stock market etc in daylight. We see it went beyond the simple bank robbery by Sheikh Kamal. The Awami shameless robbery has to be stopped once for all. Bangladeshis to progress as a developing nation, has to stand up to abandon worshiping Mujib, a pre liberation hero turned a dictator and betrayer after the independence and people have to fight Mujib- Hasina’s Awami fascist cadre politics based on favoritism.

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