Prime Minister Tarique Rahman warned that no one would be allowed to disrupt public peace in the country.
“Let us keep ourselves alert so that no one can create anarchy in the country again. We will not allow anyone to disrupt public peace and observe 173 days of hartal. Bangladesh’s people cannot be held back by frightening them with various bogeymen. The people of Bangladesh cannot be suppressed,” the prime minister said while addressing a massive public rally at Jashore’s Eidgah Maidan on Monday.
“We do not want to sell any tickets. Rather, we want to do real work. That is why we say: we will work, build the country, Bangladesh first. Who is with me in building the country?”
As audience members raised their hands, the prime minister responded, “Thousands and millions are with us in building the country… Alhamdulillah. Let today be our pledge: we will work, build the country, Bangladesh first. Because this country is yours, this country is mine, this country belongs to all of us, to all Bangladeshis.”
The prime minister said the people of Bangladesh have faith and trust in BNP, which is why they gave the party the mandate in the 12th parliamentary election.
“A group of people does not like this mandate, and that is why you see them giving speeches in various places. They go around saying that BNP has become an associate of fascism. Let us see who has become associates of fascism?”
He reminded the audience that after August 5, BNP clearly stated that those who killed people during July-August must be tried. “But we saw that after August 5, some people said we forgave everyone. Didn’t they say that? They did.”
Tarique Rahman alleged that certain individuals who speak loudly in their speeches went to meet with “associates of fascism” far away from Dhaka. “When the public surrounded that place, they could not give any answer as to why they went to meet with fascists.”
The rally, chaired by Jashore District BNP President Syed Saberul Haque Sabu, was also addressed by BNP Vice Chairman Professor Nargis Begum, Joint General Secretary and Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, State Minister Forhad Hossain Azad, and State Minister for Power and Energy Aninda Islam Amit, among others.
