On October 28, 2023, violence erupted at a rally organized by a political opposition party in Bangladesh. Ordinary people including BNP, Jamaat, police, and journalists have been victims of violence. Also organized by the Garment Workers' Party, there was a protest demanding a salary increase.
Well, we are not here to highlight the story of political violence. We only want to hear the stories of ordinary people. According to Deutsche Welle, after verifying the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics report, the Development Research Institute BIDS released the final census and household census report on Monday. According to that calculation, the population of the country is now 16 crore 98 lakh 28 thousand 911 people. Which is more than the size of Bangladesh.
At present, the way the political violence in Bangladesh is increasing, the country's image is being damaged and the people of the country are suffering.
We want a beautiful society and a violence-free state. Where people can present their comments easily. People will have freedom of speech. People can exercise fundamental rights.
We know that in 1971 Bangladesh gained its sovereignty through a bloody 9-month long war. Which was not completed by the efforts of just one person or group. 3 million people of Bangladesh gave their lives to achieve independence. The soil of this country still smells of their blood. Since the entire nation has contributed here, we want space to exercise our rights. We want a government or a ruler who will always work for the welfare of the people.
We know that every ruler or country is part of the syndicate in some way. But if the ruler is not able to control the syndicate then it becomes a cause of suffering for the state and public.
Currently, the prices of daily necessities are on the rise. People are struggling to meet their needs. But we are noticing that the government is not taking any continuous measures there. So we assume that the government is hostage to the merchant community and syndicates? If this is the case, what will we do as common people? What do we have to do?
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| Bangladesh Garment Worker |
CPD said in a report that the price of meat in Bangladesh is higher than in the international market. The organization said that in February 2022, a family of four in Dhaka spent 18 thousand 115 taka per month on food. Excluding fish and meat, the cost was 5 thousand 688 taka. In February 2023, a family of four in Dhaka spent 22 thousand 664 taka per month on food and if fish and meat are excluded, that cost is now 7 thousand 131 taka. That means food cost per family has increased.
According to data from Labor Behind the Label, prices of staple foods have increased by almost 100%. The current average take-home salary (around BDT. 12,800 including overtime) is 10% below the national poverty line. Also, for the first time in five years, the Bangladesh government has constituted a wage board to revise the minimum wages of the country's garment sector. The current minimum wage of BDT 8,000 (about £57 a month) was insufficient for a decent living when it came into force in 2019. Since then, workers have had to endure the added pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent high inflation without seeing their wages rise.
As we know, the current minimum wage is BDT 8,000 (about US$73) and was last reviewed in 2018. Since then, Bangladesh's annual inflation rate has been around 5.5 percent, rising to 7.7 percent in 2022.
If we analyze the data of CDP, the demand of garment workers and their unions for a minimum wage of 23 thousand Bangladeshi Taka (about 209 USD) is not unreasonable.
Let's talk about politics.
The talk of establishing democracy in Bangladesh is unnecessary. Those who talk about establishing democracy here are the killers of democracy. In the name of democracy and development in Bangladesh, nothing is possible except party interests and money laundering. The government parties are busy looting money in the name of mega projects and the opposition is busy in violence in the name of establishing democracy. In fact, no one thinks about the public.
Many can show our list of mega projects. Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant, Metro Rail, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel and Bangabandhu Satellite-1. Yes, these are improvements.
But if the country's treasury is empty while doing this development, what will happen with the development? If potato is sold at Tk 65-85 even after the production of potato is more than the demand, is it not oppression on the common people? Not just potatoes. The price of everything in the market is exorbitant.
I was talking about political issues. Strict measures are never taken to practice democracy in Bangladesh. In the moments before getting power, the law of democracy is verbal but after being elected, democracy is not practiced. The people of this country are imprisoned by the politicians.
We want a beautiful society and a violence-free state. Where people can present their comments easily. People will have freedom of speech. People can exercise fundamental rights.
