BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman reminded party leaders and workers that in the parliamentary election, “not the candidates, but the sheaf of paddy symbol is the key.”
He added, “Brothers, you are not working for any candidate, you are working for sheaf of paddy.”
On Tuesday evening, Tarique Rahman made these remarks as the chief guest, joining virtually from London, at an event titled “Programme for Nation-Building Plans” organised by BNP at the Krishibid Institute auditorium in Farmgate, Dhaka.
More than a thousand leaders from various levels of 75 units of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal across the country participated in the programme.
Without naming anyone, he said, “I am good and all are bad. We have seen such a thing being propagated for 16 years. Although unfortunate, it seems after August 5, for some reason, I feel that probably has not changed. It is desirable that this changes. It is extremely urgent that this changes.”
Mentioning that BNP believes in multi-party democracy, he said, “In multi-party democracy, people will give various opinions. They have the right to give opinions. They have the right to speak. But certainly, ‘one person is good and all the rest are bad’ can in no way be desirable. This is a threat to democracy.”
At the event, Tarique Rahman said, “Today we have no time to sit idle. Our candidates have been announced in various areas. It might also be the case that the candidate announced from the party for your area, perhaps you liked someone else who didn’t get it. Perhaps your relationship with the one who got it is not as good.”
He said, “We will not just keep these nation-building plans as plans. We will implement these at any cost, inshallah, by involving the people. Our pledge today, our work plan today is to involve the people of Bangladesh with these plans. This is our work for the next two months. There is no other work beyond this.”
Addressing the leaders and workers of Chhatra Dal, he said they must involve the people of their respective areas with the nation-building plans and must gather and secure everyone’s support.
Tarique Rahman said, “By explaining BNP’s plans in detail – such as canal excavation, preventing air pollution, environmental development, waste removal, development of sports across the country, education, health, eliminating unemployment, Family Card, Pharma Card, Health Card – the leaders and workers must reach them to the doorsteps of the people.”
Saying that there is no alternative to an elected government, Tarique Rahman said, “During the past autocratic government’s time, there was no accountability for whether people were living or dying. Only democracy can ensure accountability in society, country, and state.
“Only an elected democratic government is bound to be accountable to the common people.”
He said, “On 5 August 2024, the mastermind of the people’s movement is the country’s people. The housewife, the shopkeepers, thew hawkers, rickshaw-pullers, CNG drivers, bus helpers, students, people, madrasa students, university, college, private university, school, college students, these are the masterminds of the July movement.
“The masterminds of that movement are small children; 63 children died in that movement.”
Urging the youth to unite, Tarique Rahman said, “Bangladesh’s immediate future, moving forward, everything depends on you. If you come forward, if you unite, then this country has a future ahead.”
At the programme, chaired by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the convener of the implementation committee for the ‘Nation-Building Plan’ programme and senior joint secretary general of the party, and conducted by joint secretary general Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, speeches were also given by BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed, acting chairman’s advisor Mahdi Amin, BNP Chairperson’s Foreign Affairs Committee Special Assistant Saimum Parvez, Dhaka Metropolitan North Convener Aminul Haque, Bogura’s Shibganj Upazila BNP President Mir Shahe Alam, among others.
