BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday urged students and the young generation to stay alert and play an active and responsible role in resisting fascism, extremism and radicalism in Bangladesh in the days ahead.
Speaking virtually at a student rally, he also encouraged first-time voters to cast their vote for BNP’s election symbol, the sheaf of paddy, in the upcoming election to help build a self-reliant and forward-looking Bangladesh through the united efforts of both the young and old.
“I want to draw the attention of students, young people, and Chhatra Dal leaders and activists across the country. The youth and students must remain alert and play a conscious role in preventing the rise or return of fascism, extremism or radicalism in the future days of Bangladesh,” the BNP leader said.
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), the student wing of BNP, organised the rally at Shahbagh, drawing a large gathering of leaders and activists from across the country, marking the anniversary of the July-August mass uprising.
Presenting his party’s various plans and programmes to the younger generation at the rally, Tarique Rahman said BNP wants to build Bangladesh the way a mother envisions it with the united efforts of both the young and the old.
Out of nearly 13 crore voters in the country, he said around four crore new voters have been added to the voter list over the past fifteen years. “Although you are voters, the fascist clique had taken away your right to vote.”
With the upcoming national election, the BNP leader said, the young voters have a great opportunity to regain their lost voting rights.
“Taking advantage of this opportunity, we want the support and cooperation of everyone, including the young voters who were deprived of their voting rights over the past decade and a half during the rule of the fugitive autocratic ruler, to implement the plan adopted by BNP to build a self-reliant Bangladesh,” he said.
Through the rally, Tarique made an appeal to all students and the younger generation across the country: “Let your first vote be for the Sheaf of Paddy.”
He also called upon the JCD leaders and workers present at the rally to spread his appeal to all young people and students throughout the country.
“Let us pledge today that we will do whatever is necessary to make ourselves worthy of building the future Bangladesh as dreamed by the martyrs. Let this be today’s pledge: may the first vote of the youth be for the Sheaf of Paddy.”