Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and opposition leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman said the current government has lost the moral right to run the country because it failed to stop corruption. He made the remarks on Friday afternoon as chief guest at the triennial national conference of the Bangladesh Transport Workers Federation at the National Press Club. The federation’s central president, Kabir Ahmad, chaired the conference.

Rahman cited remarks by a senior leader that corruption had increased during the government’s five months in office, questioning why it was not stopped if the prime minister did not want it. He said an open admission of failure removed the government’s moral basis for remaining in power. He also criticized comments by officials about extortion and alleged that transport workers face extortion, assaults and vehicle vandalism.

Addressing the federation’s 12-point demands, Rahman said they were being raised because rights had not been established in society. He described July’s achievement as belonging to 180 million people and called for due respect for martyrs and their families. He said the verdict of 70 percent of people in a referendum must be accepted and urged workers to pledge not to commit or allow wrongdoing.