The Gana Forum president, Dr Kamal Hossain, has said the present government is not performing its constitutional duties properly.
Speaking at an exchange of views with representatives of the inhabitants of different slums at his residence, he said the law and order had deteriorated sharply while price hike of essentials, frequent increase in prices of gas, water and electricity, and eviction of the slum dwellers reflect that the government was not discharging its constitutional obligations.
Dr Kamal recalled that in 1969, the slum dwellers living along the railway tracks had raised slogans to free Sheikh Mujib by breaking the jail gate.
‘We dreamt to establish the democracy of the exploited people,’ he said, adding ‘that dream is now far away from materialisation.’
The Gana Forum president said although the country had achieved independence, effective steps were not taken to rehabilitate the slum dwellers.
He said Sheikh Mujib had rehabilitated the slum dwellers as far as he could. Since then no other governments came forward to rehabilitate the slum dwellers, apart from their evictions.
Kamal said whatever parties they (opportunists) belong to they would remain united for their class interests.
More than 100 representatives from different slums in the city including Karail, Bhashantek and Kalyanpur attended the meeting.
Gana Forum general secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu, presidium members Mafizul Islam Khan Kamal and Adv Jaglul Haidar Afric were, among others, present.