Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday pledged to build a prosperous and discrimination-free Bangladesh, saying his government would ensure equal rights and opportunities for all citizens, including ethnic minority communities.
He made the remarks during a meeting with representatives of ethnic minority groups at the Cabinet Division conference room at the Bangladesh Secretariat, according to PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Suzauddhowla (Suzon Mahmood).
Describing ethnic minority communities as an integral part of the country, Tarique Rahman said his government was committed to creating a Bangladesh where no group faces discrimination.
“My government and I are working to build a discrimination-free Bangladesh. We want to move forward together with everyone to build the Bangladesh people aspire to. We do not consider anyone separate. No one will be left behind in building the new Bangladesh,” Suzon quoted the prime minister as saying.
During the meeting, representatives of ethnic minority communities placed several demands before the prime minister.
Their demands included forming a land commission to resolve land disputes involving plains-based ethnic communities, arranging a national convention for disadvantaged ethnic groups, recognising communities by their respective ethnic identities instead of using the term “ethnic minorities”, and granting constitutional recognition as indigenous peoples.
They also called for the establishment of a central cultural centre, an end to the eviction of ethnic communities from their settlements in the name of development projects or reserved forests, and easier access to loan facilities.
Responding to the demands, Tarique Rahman said the country was going through a critical period and that the government was working to address longstanding issues in phases, prioritising matters that could be resolved immediately.
“The fascist government destroyed the country’s institutions and economy. Around $16 billion was siphoned off abroad every year. If that money had not been laundered, many of your problems could have been solved,” he said.
The prime minister stressed the importance of national unity, saying the challenges ahead required collective efforts.
“The struggle before us is much bigger. To overcome it, everyone must remain united, work together and move forward. We have to think about how we can build a better future,” he said.
Referring to unresolved issues facing the country, Tarique Rahman said he was surprised that many problems had continued for years.
“These issues should have been addressed over the past 17 years. Had they been resolved then, many of today’s problems would not exist,” he said.
He said people had heard many claims of development in the past, but the present government was dealing with the consequences of years of mismanagement while facing high public expectations.
“We are trying to overcome this situation and rebuild the country,” he added.
The prime minister also criticised the previous government’s handling of the education and healthcare sectors and highlighted his government’s initiatives to improve these areas.
Recalling healthcare initiatives taken during previous BNP governments, he said President Ziaur Rahman introduced the upazila health complex programme with 31-bed hospitals, while BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia later upgraded them to 50-bed facilities.
“Now we have decided to upgrade them to 101 beds,” he said.
Tarique Rahman also criticised the previous government’s community healthcare centres at the union level, saying many of them remained largely inactive.
He said the budget for fiscal year 2026-27 increased allocations for the health sector and reduced taxes on essential medical equipment, including kidney dialysis machines and heart stents.
Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Ethnic Affairs Bijon Kanti Sarkar, MP Anna Minj, cultural activist Sanjib Drong, and representatives from 18 ethnic communities across 17 districts attended the meeting.
