Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday night delivered his first address to the nation after assuming office, pledging to restore the rule of law, reform the economy and build what he described as a “self-reliant, safe, humanitarian, and democratic Bangladesh.”
Speaking hours after beginning his tenure, he said his government was accountable to the people and had inherited a “fragile economy” and “weak governance” from what he termed a period of fascist rule. He emphasised the restoration of voting rights as a central democratic priority.
The prime minister identified law and order and the strict curbing of corruption as the administration’s immediate focus. He announced a comprehensive crackdown on gambling and drugs, which he described as key drivers of social instability.
The country, he said, would no longer be run by political muscle or influence. The “rule of law” would be the final word in all administrative affairs. Every constitutional, public and private institution must operate strictly according to established regulations, he added.
With the holy month of Ramadan beginning on Thursday, Tarique issued a warning against market manipulation. He urged the business community not to treat the month of self-purification as an opportunity for excessive profiteering.
“The BNP government is determined to break all syndicates of injustice and irregularity in every sector,” he said, referring to what he described as the fall of previous “mafia syndicates.”
To ease public hardship during Ramadan, he said he had instructed the relevant authorities to ensure uninterrupted supplies of gas, water and electricity, particularly during Iftar, Tarabi and Sahri. He also called for national austerity, saying that avoiding waste was both a civic and religious duty.
In what he described as a gesture of transparency and restraint, the prime minister announced that BNP Members of Parliament had collectively decided to forgo traditional privileges. No BNP-elected MP would import tax-free vehicles or accept government plot allotments, he said. The decision reflected the “Prophet’s ideal of justice,” which he said his government sought to emulate in statecraft.
Turning to infrastructure, Tarique acknowledged what he called “uncontrolled” traffic congestion in divisional cities, especially Dhaka. He announced a major initiative to overhaul the national railway system, saying better coordination between the ministries of railways, shipping, roads and bridges would help ease population pressure on the capital and improve environmental standards.
He also set out plans to transform Bangladesh’s large population into “human capital” through education and technology. The government, he said, would support students and young people to excel in fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), enabling them to remain competitive in the global market.
Reflecting on his return to the country and his “I Have a Plan” declaration made on 25 December last year, the prime minister thanked voters for the mandate delivered in the 12 February national elections. He reaffirmed his commitment to fulfilling all electoral promises.
Concluding his address, Tarique called for national unity. The state, he said, belonged to everyone regardless of religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.
“Whether you voted for BNP, for another party, or did not vote at all, your rights in this government are equal,” he said, adding that every Bangladeshi citizen held equal status in the eyes of the state.
