BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has outlined a comprehensive policy roadmap to fundamentally restructure Bangladesh’s socio-economic landscape.
He stressed that his vision for a post-5 August Bangladesh is centred on sustainable development, not political rhetoric.
Just hours after assuming the party chairmanship, Tarique shared his vision in an engaging discussion with editors, journalists, and media owners at the Sheraton Hotel Grand Ballroom in Dhaka on Saturday.
‘Family Card’ and women’s empowerment
Central to Tarique’s future initiatives is the introduction of a universal “Family Card” designed to support approximately four crore families.
Under this programme, housewives and female heads of households will receive sustained support for five to seven years in the form of direct financial assistance or essential food items.
Tarique explained that this initiative specifically targets women because research indicates they are more likely to invest resources into family health, children’s education, and small-scale ventures.
To ensure transparency and prevent the corruption seen in previous social safety nets, the card will be universal, available to the wives of both rural farmers and high-ranking officials such as deputy commissioners (DCs), though he expressed confidence that affluent families would voluntarily abstain.
Revolutionising healthcare
In a significant shift in healthcare policy, the BNP leader proposed moving from a treatment-heavy model to one focused on “prevention.”
Drawing inspiration from healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, he announced plans to recruit 100,000 healthcare workers, with 80 to 85 percent of these roles reserved for women.
These workers will conduct door-to-door visits to raise awareness about hygiene, nutrition, and disease prevention, while also focusing on population control to ensure family sizes remain sustainable.
Modernising skills, global employment
Addressing the challenges faced by the youth, Tarique outlined plans to modernise vocational and technological institutions. He noted that while nearly one million Bangladeshis migrate for work annually, many remain unskilled and earn low wages.
By providing language training and market-specific skills for emerging markets in Japan, Europe, and China, the BNP chairman aims to triple the average monthly earning of a migrant worker from $100 to $300.
Furthermore, to boost the industrial sector, his administration intends to provide bonded facilities for entrepreneurs establishing factories dedicated 100 per cent to export markets.
Digital infrastructure and IT reforms
Tarique also pledged to revitalise the country’s IT parks, which he claimed had become underutilised or misused under the previous regime. His plan includes providing free Wi-Fi and dedicated office spaces for young freelancers and IT professionals within these parks.
To support the growing community of online content creators, he promised to resolve long-standing issues with international payment gateways, including PayPal.
Governance and environmental crisis
eyond economic measures, the BNP chairman stressed the necessity of maintaining the democratic process and accountability at all levels, from Union Parishads to Parliament.
He categorised his reform agenda into three parts: constitutional, legal, and most importantly – the daily life, security, and economic needs of citizens.
He also issued a stark warning regarding the environmental crisis, saying that the Buriganga is 100 per cent polluted and the Shitalakshya is 50 per cent polluted. He warned that without urgent intervention, Dhaka could face a total water failure within 15 to 20 years.
Looking ahead, Tarique announced that the party would present its comprehensive vision and plans to the general public starting on the 22nd of the month.
Concluding his remarks, he stated that should the party successfully form a government with the people’s mandate, he would welcome “constructive criticism” from the media to help steer the nation toward progress.
The BNP leader emphasised that such feedback should be aimed at assisting the administration in solving genuine problems of the people rather than being criticism for its own sake, reaffirming his commitment to a transparent and accountable governance model.
The exchange of views drew a significant assembly of the nation’s media fraternity.
Notable speakers and attendees included Kaler Kantho Editor Hasan Hafiz; Jugantor Editor Abdul Hye Sikder; ETV’s Abdus Salam; and bdnews24.com Editor-in-Chief Toufique Imrose Khalidi.
The event was further attended by a wide array of senior journalists representing various Bengali and English dailies, television channels, radio stations, and online multimedia platforms.
International media was well-represented with correspondents from the BBC, Al Jazeera, and AFP. Leadership from the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) were also prominently in attendance to participate in the dialogue.
Supporting the BNP chairman at the session was a high-level delegation of the BNP’s senior leadership. Members of the Standing Committee in attendance included Mirza Abbas, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, and Hafizuddin Ahmed.
Other key figures present included Vice Chairman Asaduzzaman Ripon, Chairperson’s Advisory Council member Abdus Salam, and the chairman’s Advisor Mahdi Amin. The party’s Media Cell was represented by Atiqur Rahman Rumon, Shammi Akhter, Sayrul Kabir Khan, and Abu Sayem.
Further administrative and security support was provided by the BNP’s Saimum Parvez and Shamsuddin Dider, alongside the chairman’s Personal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, and Chief Security Officer, Brig Gen (retd) AKM Shamsul Islam.
