Prof Siddiqur presents article on Tarique’s national thought, future vision for Bangladesh

Prof Mohammad Siddiqur Rahman Khan, dean of the Faculty of Arts and teacher of the Department of Islamic History and Culture at Dhaka University, has presented an article analysing Tarique Rahman’s national thought and his outline for the future of Bangladesh.

The article was presented on Saturday afternoon in the opening session of a Policy Dialogue organised by the newly formed Initiative for Policy and Politics (IPP) at the university’s RC Majumdar Arts Auditorium.

Organisers said the IPP will hold such policy and political discussions every month to ensure continuity in national policy discourse.

Former chairman of the political science department of Dhaka University Prof Nurul Amin Bepari attended the event, while Mahdi Amin was the main discussant. The programme was presided over by Md Nizam Uddin.

Presenting his article, Prof Siddiqur Rahman said the future Bangladesh would be shaped under Tarique Rahman’s talent, leadership and vision. He said the acting BNP chairman’s proposed 31 points have the potential to build a “Rainbow Nation” by bringing everyone together.

In his discussion, Mahdi Amin said Tarique Rahman’s politics centres on decentralising state power. He noted that many of today’s widely discussed reform proposals were introduced by the BNP and its acting chairman years earlier.

Mahdi said the BNP laid out clear policies and structural reforms from 2016 to the 2024 one-point movement, covering the judiciary, executive branch, balance of power, Election Commission, administration, transparency and accountability.

These proposals, he said, align with the reform foundations announced by the current interim government.

He added that Tarique Rahman proposed introducing a compulsory third foreign language in the education system as early as 2011. If implemented, this would increase the international competitiveness of Bangladeshi workers and reduce language barriers in global workplaces, including freelancing.

He also said the BNP has a clear plan to ensure skill-based, work-oriented education from school to university.

Speakers at the dialogue discussed various aspects of future state planning, political transformation, challenges to the democratic process, and policy-making frameworks.

In his article, Prof Siddiqur examined Tarique Rahman’s proposed policies, state ideology and possible future roadmap in the current political context.