‘Big Mango’ from Japan? Sadik Takes a Swipe at PM!

Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (DUCSU) Vice-President Sadik Kayem has made a pointed remark about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to Japan, saying the premier returned with a “big mango”. He also questioned the lack of clarity over the agreement signed with Japan and called for implementation of the public mandate from the referendum and the July Charter.

Kayem made the remarks on Saturday (October 31) while addressing a rally during the 11-party alliance’s long march at Shaheed Abrar Fahad Stadium in Kushtia.

Referring to the post-revolution period, he said, “Because of the failures of those who came to power after the revolution, whom we had appointed as advisers and student advisers, we now have to talk about the public mandate from the referendum and the July Charter.”

Speaking about the prime minister’s Japan visit, Kayem said, “Today, our honourable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has gone to Japan and brought back a big ‘mango’ for you. He has yet to make it clear to us what agreement he has signed with Japan. We have seen that India has welcomed the agreement. It seems to us that the current BNP government, Tarique Rahman’s government, has taken up India’s contract work anew.”

He further said discussions should have focused on building a new and better Bangladesh in line with the aspirations of those who were killed. Instead, the country is now debating the referendum mandate and the July Charter, which he attributed to the failures of the advisers and student advisers who held positions after the revolution.

Kayem alleged that the BNP had reached a compromise at that time. He said Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir had called for reforms before an election, while the BNP, eager to come to power, had demanded that the referendum and national election be held on the same day. He further claimed that the BNP was now disregarding the mandate given by 70 percent of voters in the referendum and betraying the blood of the martyrs.

The DUCSU vice-president said their sole demand was the implementation of the referendum mandate and the July Charter. According to him, their implementation would pave the way for state reforms and bring an end to extortion, tender manipulation, terrorism, land grabbing and corruption.

Addressing the rally participants, the former Chhatra Shibir leader asked whether they would take to the streets if Dr Shafiqur Rahman, whom he described as the future leader of Bangladesh, called for a one-point movement to implement the referendum mandate. He urged them to pledge not to retreat, even if it meant sacrificing their lives like Shaheed Osman Hadi, expressing confidence that the July Charter would ultimately be implemented in Bangladesh.