Sheikh Hasina is Bin Laden's cousin, gives video from cave: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has compared Awami League President and former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with Osama bin Laden. He said, "Sheikh Hasina has become Bin Laden's cousin. Just as Bin Laden used to give video messages from the cave, Sheikh Hasina is also giving video messages now."

He made these comments while speaking as the chief guest at a rally of the Metropolitan Workers' Party in front of the BNP party office on Sadar Road in Barisal on Thursday (May 1). The rally was held under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Workers' Party convener Faiz Ahmed Khan.

Rizvi alleged, "Out of 12 crore voters in the country, 73.5 million are workers. Yet they are the most deprived. For 16 years, workers have been deprived of their just rights under Sheikh Hasina's fascist rule, they do not have the right to organize. There is no opportunity to form a trade union."

He further said, “The Essential Services Bill 2023 has taken away the right of workers to demand their demands. The law was made in the interest of the owner, not in the interest of the workers. As a result, workers are giving their lives everywhere - in garments, jute mills, sugar mills.”

Rizvi alleged, “Sheikh Hasina’s drunken army, police and RAB have shot at garment workers and killed many including Anjuman Ara, Jalal Uddin, Russell. The ‘Great Revolution’ of August 5, 2024 was written in this blood. More than a hundred workers have been martyred in the movement.”

He further said, “Even today, workers are living in misery. Factories are closed, layoffs are going on, thousands of workers are unemployed. Their children are not able to go to school. The government is not paying attention to this.”

Accusing the syndicate of sending workers abroad during the Awami League era, Rizvi said, “In order to send workers to Malaysia, we had to bribe Masud, the then Finance Minister Lotus Kamal and several syndicate members. The workers could not get work even if they sold their land and went abroad.”

Addressing Dr. Yunus, the chief advisor to the interim government, Rizvi said, “You want to create a corridor of humanity in Rakhine, Burma, but you are not listening to the aspirations of the people of the country. You are making your own decisions without discussing with the political parties.”

Regarding Sheikh Hasina’s current status, Rizvi said, “No one knows where Sheikh Hasina is. It is known that she is in a neighboring country, but even the head of government there is not saying anything. She is behaving like Bin Laden hiding in a cave.”

He alleged that 227 murder cases against Sheikh Hasina were mentioned in a video message and that was proven true in forensic examination. “How can the former prime minister say that 227 killings have been confirmed?” he asked, adding, “This is a direct threat to kill.”

Rizvi said, “The one who drank the blood of the people, shed the blood of children, teenagers, workers, rickshaw pullers, now wants to take their lives because there is a case.”

Finally, Rizvi called on the government, “Return the power of the people to the people. Give a fixed date for a free and fair election. Otherwise, no one will be saved if fascism rises again.”

The rally was attended by Dr. Mohammad Rafiqul Islam as the main speaker. Other speakers included Professors Akon Quddusur Rahman, Hasan Mamun, Ebaidul Haque Chan, Abu Naser Mohammad Rahmatullah, Mejbahuddin Farhad, and others.