Hasnat Abdullah, chief coordinator (southern region) of the National Citizens’ Platform (NCP), has demanded the resignation of Nurjahan Begum, the interim government’s health advisor. He made the remarks during a roadside rally at Chandpur Bus Stand as part of the “July March to Build the Nation” program.
“We had high expectations from this government. After the uprising, we aimed to restructure the state. Unfortunately, the healthcare system remains the same, as does law enforcement,” said Hasnat Abdullah.
He added, “There’s a health advisor—do you know her? She came in through Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s brotherhood quota. She’s the clearest example of Yunus’s nepotism. I’ve always said there’s no need for this adviser.”
Hasnat, former convener of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, further claimed that Nurjahan Begum lacks basic understanding of healthcare and medical issues. “Her only qualification is that she worked at Grameen Bank and is close to Dr. Yunus. What are we supposed to do with such an adviser? Ironically, she travels to Singapore for her own treatment,” he said.
He also noted, “When we criticized her, she stopped communicating with us. She should return the public salary she received to the state treasury and resign immediately.”
Offering condolences for the tragic military aircraft crash at Milestone School and College in Uttara, Hasnat Abdullah accused the Awami League of attempting to exploit the tragedy for political gains.
“You saw yesterday—this fascist Awami League is trying to return to politics by stepping over dead bodies. We, the anti-fascist political forces, are mourning. Everyone who believes in Bangladesh is grieving. But if the Awami League tries to rise again, we will turn our grief into strength and eliminate them. We’ve already closed off their path. If they try again, we will finish them. Everyone must stay alert,” he said.
Other speakers at the rally included NCP Central Coordinator and Chandpur native Nasiruddin Patwari, Northern Region Coordinator Sarjees Alam, and Senior Joint Convener Samanta Sharmin.
Earlier in the morning, NCP leaders met with the families of July Uprising martyrs at Chandpur Circuit House. Following the Chandpur rally, the march continued toward Cumilla, with scheduled stops at Hajiganj for the inauguration of Shaheed Azad Square and another rally in Doavanga, Shahrasti.
