Sustainable development is not possible without equitable rights: Nasiruddin Patwary

BanglaPress Desk: Nasiruddin Patwary, Senior Joint Convener of the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP), has stated that sustainable development is impossible for any nation without ensuring the dignity, fair rights, and livelihood security of its workers. He has called for the establishment of rights to fair wages, safe housing, education, and healthcare for the workforce.
Nasiruddin Patwary shared these views in a Facebook post on Tuesday (November 3).
In his post, he wrote, "If the dignity, fair rights, and livelihood security of workers are not guaranteed within a nation’s politics, state policy, and economy, that country can never progress toward sustainable development. A prosperous economy cannot be built by depriving workers; instead, such a situation fosters a 'plunder-based' economy, exacerbates wealth inequality, weakens the economic foundation, and eventually causes the state itself to become oppressive." Addressing allegations that political forces are instigating labor movements, he asked, "Even if we were to assume—for the sake of argument—that someone is fueling these labor movements, the question remains: why have other political parties in the country failed to prioritize this critical sector over the last 54 years? Why have fair wages, safe working environments, housing, healthcare, education, and social security for workers never become a political priority?"
He further wrote, "Dismissing the hunger of workers, their demand for fair wages, and their desperate need to provide food for their families as mere 'political instigation' is not the behavior of a responsible political entity. Labeling legitimate human demands as 'political conspiracies' is simply an age-old tactic used to evade one's own responsibilities."
Opposing the exploitation of workers for political gain, the NCP leader added, "It must be remembered that workers are not a ladder for anyone to climb to power. They are the driving force of the nation's economy, the architects of production—they are our own brothers, sisters, and children." "It is through their sweat that factories remain operational, the wheels of the economy turn, and the nation achieves growth."
Highlighting the need to improve the living standards of workers, he writes, "If a worker has food to eat, clothing to wear, a safe roof over their head, and guaranteed access to education and healthcare for their children, their life would be far more dignified. In such a scenario, there would be little room to dismiss their legitimate demands as mere politically-motivated agitation."
In his post, he states, "Enough with the political posturing. It is time to ensure fair wages for workers. Provide them with food, clothing, and safe housing for their families. Recognize the worker not merely as a tool for production, but as a human being deserving of dignity."
Expressing a vision for equal opportunity for the children of working-class families, Nasiruddin Patwary writes, "Our aspiration is simple: a nation where the child of a worker can live with dignity, pursue an education, dream, and build a secure future."
"The timeless desire—'may my child live in comfort and plenty'—should not be the exclusive privilege of the wealthy; it must become a reality for every working-class family in Bengal."
Concluding his post, he asserts, "Workers' rights are not a political favor; they are their rightful due. Let the dignity of the worker be established; let exploitation and discrimination come to an end; and let all forms of oppression be brought to a close."

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