Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged that no one will be allowed to deprive Bangladesh of its independence, sovereignty and people’s rights or turn the country into a subservient state.
“To strengthen national unity in the socio-economic, geographical and political realities of Bangladesh, we must embrace the spirit of the Soldiers-People Revolution wholeheartedly,” he said.
The prime minister made the pledge while attending three programmes in the capital on Saturday to mark National Revolution and Solidarity Day.
In the morning, he attended a special exhibition and parade at the Army Stadium in Banani. Later, he announced increases in salaries, allowances and other benefits for village police members at a grand gathering at the National Parade Ground. In the afternoon, he addressed a rally in Nayapaltan before joining a sovereignty rally on foot.
Addressing the programme at the Army Stadium, the prime minister said national unity could be strengthened amid Bangladesh’s socio-economic, geographical and political realities by embracing the spirit of the Soldiers-People Revolution.
He said the 1971 Liberation War, the Soldiers-People Revolution of 7 November 1975, the anti-autocracy movement of 1990 and the anti-fascist mass uprising of 2024 had all proved that Bangladeshis had never compromised on national interests, independence or sovereignty.
“Bangladesh comes above everything else for them,” he said.
The prime minister said patriotic soldiers and civilians had united on 7 November 1975, to thwart conspiracies against the country’s independence and sovereignty.
Referring to the country’s subsequent return to the status of a subservient state, he said the planned killings of military personnel at Pilkhana had undermined the pride and dignity of the armed forces.
“The people’s democratic and political rights were taken away and fascist rule was established in the country,” he said.
Recalling the contributions of those killed and injured in the 2024 mass uprising, he said the bloody student-people’s uprising had defeated the forces responsible for fascism at the cost of thousands of lives.
Zubaida Rahman, spouse of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, advisers, members of parliament, diplomatic representatives, chiefs of the three services, military and civilian officials, students and other invited guests attended the programme. Around 3,000 Bangladesh National Cadet Corps (BNCC) cadets and 500 Scouts took part in the exhibition.
Around 11:45am, the prime minister, accompanied by Zubaida Rahman, attended a grand gathering of around 41,000 village police members at the National Parade Ground in Tejgaon. State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam was also present.
The prime minister announced that the monthly salary of village police members had been increased to Tk10,500 and that of village police chiefs to Tk11,000. Each member will also receive a monthly mobile phone allowance of Tk150.
The retirement gratuity for village police members has been raised from Tk50,000 to Tk80,000, while that for village police chiefs has increased from Tk80,000 to Tk1 lakh.
The travel allowance for visits to police stations has been raised from Tk300 to Tk500 for members and from Tk300 to Tk600 for chiefs.
The prime minister also announced the recruitment of two female village police members in each union, along with six months of maternity leave for them.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Social Welfare Minister AZM Zahid Hossain, Housing and Public Works Minister Zakaria Taher Sumon, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashiduzzaman Millat, State Minister Habibur Rashid, Defence Adviser Brigadier General (retd) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar, and administrators of the two city corporations, Md Abdus Salam and Shafiqul Islam Khan, attended the programme.
The prime minister presented awards and cash prizes to eight outstanding village police members, one selected from each of the country’s eight divisions.
After 3pm, addressing a rally in front of the BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan, the prime minister said no conspiracy could suppress the country’s pro-democracy people.
“Conspiracies are being hatched again in the country. They will be given a crushing response, just as they were on 7 November 1975. We will confront all conspiracies together with the country’s pro-democracy people,” he said.
The prime minister chanted the slogan, “Neither Delhi nor Pindi, nor any other country. Bangladesh comes first, Bangladesh for all.”
After his speech, he joined the rally on foot. The procession started from Nayapaltan and proceeded through Kakrail, Hare Road, Minto Road, the Hotel InterContinental intersection, Banglamotor and Farmgate before reaching Manik Mia Avenue. The prime minister delivered the concluding speech there around 4:30pm.
Those accompanying him included BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed and Standing Committee members Mirza Abbas, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, AZM Zahid Hossain, Amanullah Aman and Farhad Halim Donar.
Also present were Vice-Chairmen Ahmed Azam Khan and Nurul Islam Moni, BNP chairman’s adviser Abdus Salam, Joint Secretaries General Khairul Kabir Khokon and Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Treasurer Rashiduzzaman Millat and Publicity Secretary Sultan Salauddin Tuku.
Cabinet members, along with leaders and activists of the BNP’s Dhaka North and South units and various units across Dhaka Division, also took part in the rally.
