Govt's 'deliberate misrule' threatens garment industry with destruction: Rizvi

The government's 'deliberate misrule' in the garment sector is taking the industry to the brink of destruction, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said on Tuesday.

"If the garment industry comes under Western sanctions, how many people will become unemployed? Sheikh Hasina is not worried about what will happen if the sanctions come," Rizvi said at a virtual press briefing this afternoon.

He said, "The garment industry is on the verge of destruction, and the prime minister does not care about it. Sheikh Hasina is deliberately taking the garment industry to the brink of destruction. She doesn't care about the people of the country; she only cares about power."

Rizvi also stated that the government's 'misgovernance' is leading the country's politics towards a "dreadful consequence."

Referring to the election under the AL government, Rizvi said the next polls would be a 'shared election' under the control of the prime minister to meet her wish of staying in power.

He said free and fair elections are not in the genetics of Awami League.

Rizvi also told the press briefing that more than 19,500 leaders and activists were arrested in 534 cases across the country from 28 October until this afternoon.

Law enforcers detained at least 285 party leaders and activists and filed 15 cases against 1,395 named and many unidentified party activists in 24 hours, he added.