Raushon Ershad blames lack of jobs for youths for rising militancy in Bangladesh

Raushon Ershad has blamed the lack of employment for the recent rise in militant activities in Bangladesh.

The leader of the opposition in Parliament was speaking at a programme of the Jatiya Party's student affiliate Jatiya Chhatra Samaj on Monday.

"Literate, good boys are getting involved in militancy. But why? Because they do not have any job; Militancy is rising due to the lack of employment," she said.

It emerged after last year's massacre at a café in Gulshan that some of the attackers were from well-off families and studied in renowned institutions. It was also unearthed that many such young men left home to 'join militant groups'.

Jatiya Party Senior Co-chair Raushon said the number of people eligible to work is around 90 million, including 40 million unemployed ones.

"There is a saying: 'Idle brain is devil's workshop'," she said and added, "If we could create jobs, militancy wouldn't have spread. So, the government must fulfil its duty in this regard."

According to the World Bank, 9.1 percent of the young population in Bangladesh is unemployed.

Raushon's husband Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad was also present at the programme marking the anniversary of Chhatra Samaj. 

He congratulated the student leaders of the organisation for celebrating his birthday at Dhaka University, where the former military dictator was announced persona non grata.

The Chhatra Samaj cut a cake at recently to celebrate his birthday at Madhu's Canteen on the DU campus, which was a focal point of anti-Ershad movement in late 1990.

"You have done what I couldn't do. You've celebrated my birthday at Madhu's Canteen where I couldn't enter. This proves that you have become strong," Ershad said. 

"I know that many are speaking harsh words about this. But let them speak. They'll face the consequences for this," he added.  

Ershad, who is Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's special envoy now, asked the leaders and activists of the organisation to get ready for the next parliamentary election.