Exploiting Milestone tragedy, AL attempts to reorganise: Hasnat

Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser of the southern region of the National Citizen Party (NCP), accused the Awami League of using the recent Milestone School and College tragedy as a political tool to reorganise and regain influence. 

“We believed fascism had collapsed, but the Awami League is now capitalizing on the Milestone incident to rebuild itself,” he said during a rally at the Abdul Quddus Makhan Municipal stage in Brahmanbaria town on Thursday afternoon.

Addressing the crowd, Hasnat urged all political parties to unite against the Awami League with an anti-fascist stance for the country’s sake. 

The rally followed a march organised by NCP leaders and activists, which began at 11:45am from the Railgate area of Brahmanbaria district town. 

Key NCP figures present included Convener Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhter Hossain, Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Jara, Chief Organiser for northern region Sarjis Alam, Chief Coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwari, Senior Joint Convenor Samanta Sharmin, and Joint Convenor Maulana Ashraf Mahdi.

Hasnat sharply criticised the healthcare system inherited from the previous government, saying, “The past regime left us with a broken healthcare system. On the streets, you risk being hit by a bus; in hospitals, you may die due to inadequate treatment. Plane crashes, launch accidents – people die in every imaginable way. This state has failed to ensure the right to a natural death.” 

He demanded that the interim government prioritise reforms to guarantee citizens’ safety and access to proper healthcare.

He further expressed frustration over the qualifications of health ministers, noting, “The former health minister had a degree in English, and the current one has in Bangla. Why are unqualified individuals appointed to lead our health sector when Bangladesh has no shortage of skilled doctors? This is unacceptable.”

Hasnat called for a reformed governance system led by competent professionals to address systemic failures and prevent future tragedies like the one at Milestone.