BNP to focus on employment, agro, slum dev if elected: Tarique

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Friday said that if voted to power, his party would work to create employment opportunities for young people, strengthen the agricultural sector and ensure infrastructural development for the rehabilitation of slum dwellers, alongside addressing various social challenges.

While addressing a mammoth electoral rally held at Bhashantek in the capital, he said the fall of autocratic rule had come through long struggles and movements and the time had come to rebuild the country.

He said that years of authoritarian governance had destroyed many structures, adding that rebuilding the country would require representatives elected by the people through a credible democratic process.

Referring to previous elections, he said that during the so-called “managed” elections, ordinary people were unable to approach their representatives with their problems.

The people of the country were deprived of their voting rights with only “dummy” elections held over the past 16 years, and now the time has come to establish a government chosen by the people, he said.

To establish democracy in the country, he stressed the need to elect genuine public representatives in the 12 February election.

Outlining his party’s plans, the BNP chairperson said special cards would be introduced for farmers, along with easy-term loans to boost the country’s agricultural development.

He also pledged initiatives for youth training and education to build a skilled workforce capable of creating jobs at home, working abroad as skilled labour, or establishing businesses on their own.

On women’s empowerment, he said BNP would create employment opportunities for women and introduce family cards for them.

He reiterated that these programmes would be implemented if the party came to power in the upcoming general election.

Urging the supporters to take the pledge “We will work, we will build the country—Bangladesh first,” Tarique said people’s lives have improved whenever the BNP’s electoral symbol “Sheaf of Paddy” was elected by people’s votes.

To implement the party’s plans, he urged supporters to secure victory for the Sheaf of Paddy nationwide and encouraged them to persuade even their relatives to vote for the BNP.

Tarique addressed the rally from the stage alongside his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman.

BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan, Chairperson’s adviser, Abdus Salam, also spoke at the rally.

Earlier, before delivering his speech, Tarique interacted with people from various professions in the Bhashantek area.

He spoke with rickshaw van pullers, homemakers, slum residents and students, discussed local problems with them, and assured them that solutions would be provided if he were elected and if BNP formed the government in the upcoming national election.

Tarique arrived on the stage around 6:30 pm, and the waiting party leaders and activists welcomed him with applause.

The Bhashantek area falls under the Dhaka-17 constituency and Tarique is contesting it as the BNP candidate from this constituency in the 13th parliamentary election.

On the second day of the official election campaign, Tarique attended the public rally in his electoral area.

On the ground, it was seen that BNP leaders, activists, and voters began arriving at the meeting place even before the Asr prayer.

Before the Maghrib prayer, the venue was completely packed due to the large turnout and many people were unable to enter the ground, gathering instead on the surrounding roads.