Dhaka,  Monday
09 December 2024

‘2,000 people did not die just for an election’

Sylhet Correspondent

Published: 19:27, 9 November 2024

Update: 19:47, 9 November 2024

‘2,000 people did not die just for an election’

Photo : Collected

Sarjis Alam and the coordinators of Sylhet were present in the occasion of providing financial assistance to the families of the martyrs in Sylhet division on the initiative of ‘July Martyrs' Memorial Foundation’. In the meeting room of Sylhet District Commissioner's office

Sarjis Alam, leader of anti-discrimination student movement and general secretary of ‘July Martyrs' Memorial Foundation’ said that 2000 people did not give their lives just for the election.

Half a million people did not donate blood. The interim government should go to the polls with logical reforms of the systems involved in fair elections.

Sarjis Alam said this in response to the questions of the journalists after distributing the financial donation cheques to the family members of the martyrs in the movement at the Sylhet District Commissioner's office on Saturday afternoon.

Sarjis Alam said that "During the 16 years of the Awami League government, the Election Commission was the most corrupt. Without reforming this Election Commission, a fair election cannot be expected,".

Regarding the election, Sarjis Alam said, "We are not saying to reform everything in the state and go to the election." We are also not saying that reforms will be made in the next five-six years. But reforms will take at least a reasonable amount of time. No sane person can think from his place that everything will be reformed within a year. 16 years of slowly dismantling the systems; Reforming those systems, systems related to fair elections, requires reasonable time. Interim government should go to elections after reforming the institutions involved in elections. If not, we will remain in the same place.

Sarjis Alam said that even an election commission cannot give a fair election. In addition, many institutions are involved. One of these is to bring law enforcement into a system. Otherwise, if elections are held, the incident of extortion may occur again. There may be abuse of power. Again, if any problem arises around this election, a judicial process is needed to solve it. So the judicial system needs to be reformed. He said that the Election Commission was the most corrupt in the last 16 years.

Commenting that the coup was not done by some people, Sarjis Alam said. The coup happened as the entire student population of Bangladesh marched in unity and Sheikh Hasina fled.

Claiming that the list of families of more than 1,600 martyrs has been found across the country, Sarjis Alam said that financial donation checks are being given to the families of those selected after verification. A donation check of Tk 5 lakh was handed over to the family members of 18 people killed in the anti-discrimination movement in Sylhet division.

Earlier,Mir Mahbubur Rahman Snigdho, Chief Executive Officer of July Martyrs' Memorial Foundation, spoke at the cheque distribution ceremony in the conference room of the Sylhet District Commissioner's office.

Messenger/JRTarek