BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan spoke at a discussion titled 'National Convention on Labor Manifesto' at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in the city. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Jan 12, 2026 (BSS) - BNP Standing Committee member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan today said the needs of the impoverished population must be met through the creation of wealth.

"The most important thing for protecting workers’ interests and establishing their fair rights is wealth creation. It is possible to meet the needs of the poor only through wealth creation. For this, proper and effective planning is essential." he said. 

Dr Moyeen Khan made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion titled 'National Convention on Labor Manifesto', organized by the National Advocacy Alliance for Workers’ Rights at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in the city. 

The veteran BNP leader posed a question and said the matter of realizing workers’ rights has been written in the country’s constitution since 54 years ago. “Then why do we have to raise new demands on this issue today? The most important thing to achieve the demands we are making today to protect workers' interests is wealth accumulation," he added. 

Pointing out that workers are the real architects of building the country, he said, "On the day in 1886 when workers shed their blood. Today, you have raised the demands regarding workers' rights. At that time too, the demand was that workers would work for 8 hours. From that day until today, more than 150 years have passed, yet they have not been able to realize this demand."

Moyeen Khan further said that most of the demands that workers make today were also present back in 1886. Yet, even after nearly one and a half hundred years, many demands of workers remain unfulfilled today. 

"Why have those rights of workers not been realized today? Who is responsible for this not happening? If workers are the architects of building the country, won't the country fulfil their demands? Why won't the country's leadership fulfil them?," he questioned.

"We practice liberal politics. When I was the Planning Minister, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia told me, development should not only be in the private sector, development must be spread to the rural areas, meaning to villages. Development of rural people must be ensured," Moyeen Khan added. 

Pointing out that the challenges in the country are much bigger than in developed countries, he said, these challenges will not be met only if political parties address them. “If the common people, the working masses can put proper pressure on the political parties, if proper pressure can be put on the political parties, then accountability can be ensured. The struggle to establish people's rights that is ongoing in the world. We must continue that. Because, rights will never be established without wresting them, he added. 

The  Workers' Rights Advocacy Alliance (BILS) arranged the event while BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, General Secretary of Gonoforum Mizanur Rahman, Presidium member of Islami Andolan Bangladesh Ashraf Ali Akand, Co-President of Gonoadhikar Parishad Abdur Rahman, Senior Joint General Secretary of NCP Arifur Rahman, along with other leaders of the organization at various levels were present.