Staff correspondent :

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting
Chairman Tarique Rahman today called upon the party men to win people’s heart
and achieve their love with generosity and justice, not showing power or
intimidation.

“My clear message to you, win people’s heart with fairness and kindness, not
showing power or intimidation. Achieve people’s love,” he said in a video
message on the occasion of the 46th founding anniversary of BNP.

Tarique extended greetings to the democracy-loving people of the country
marking the party’s anniversary.

Since its inception, BNP has always upheld the interest of the people in
every movement for establishing democracy and people’s rights while running
the country or acting as the opposition party, he said.

So, BNP, the party of proclaimer of the country’s independence, is the most
popular and trusted political institution to the country’s democracy-loving
people even overcoming many hostile situations, the BNP acting chairman said.

On the auspicious occasion of the founding anniversary, he recalled with
respect the contribution of all those under whose leadership, whose
sacrifices, whose labor and merit have made the party a trusted institution
to the people of the entire country.

“Now the country has stood at a turning point in its history. The interim
government is facing a tough challenge of building a discrimination-free
Bangladesh as desired by the students and people,” he continued.

Tarique Rahman said the country has been freed from autocracy on August 5
through the sacrifice of thousands of martyrs and the untold sufferings of
numerous students and people.

But the cohorts of the autocrat are still hatching conspiracy to foil the
success and potential of the mass uprising, he added.

“I do believe that if the pro-Bangladesh forces remain alert, the country
cannot be derailed. Bangladesh won’t lose its track again,” the BNP acting
chairman said.

The people cannot be made to forget the disorder and injustice of the last 15
years by hatching conspiracy or spreading propaganda, he added.

State infrastructure Ganabhaban was the traditional symbol of the state and
the country’s politics, he said, adding that but now Ganabhaban becomes a
symbol of corruption, misrule, lawlessness and wrongdoings of dictator
Hasina.

Tarique Rahman said demands have already been raised from different quarters
to build Ganabhaban as the museum of enforced disappearance, killing,
abduction and genocide.

From army personnel killing in Pilkhana in 2009 to Shapla Chattar killing in
2013, enforced disappearance and extrajudicial killings during the period of
the movement for democracy restoration in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022 and
2023 and memories of the martyrs and victims of enforced disappearances in
anti-quota movement and road safety movement in 2018 and mass-upsurge in 2024
should be preserved in the museum, he said.

This museum will bear the message to future generations that no other ruler
in Bangladesh follows the barbaric path of dictator Hasina to stay in power
illegally, he added.

The BNP Acting Chairman said when the interim government is on track to
implement its aspirations of the mass uprising, suddenly an imposed flood
situation has swallowed vast areas in the country’s eastern region.

Around one crore people have been affected more or less in the devastating
flood while many people have died, properties have been damaged, he said.

Under the circumstances, BNP has cancelled its all programme of the founding
anniversary to stand by the flood-affected people as per its capacity, he
further said.

Noting that flood water has already started receding in some areas, Tarique
Rahman said currently returning those who have been affected by the flood to
their flood-damaged houses or their rehabilitation process is a little more
complicated than the situation during the flood.

He called upon all to continue their cooperation to flood-affected people and
stand by them in a coordinated way giving priority to the families having
women, children and elderly people.

As a citizen, play an active role to help the government to implement its
measures to successfully complete the flood rehabilitation process,” he said.

The BNP acting chairman said autocrat Hasina has fled leaving the country in
a chaotic situation in all sectors including state, politics, education,
culture, economy, public administration and judiciary.

She has fled leaving the country dependent on loan and import, he said
adding: “Not only one Hasina has fled rather her cabinet and all MPs who were
not elected by votes and even their appointed Baitul Mukarram Khatib also
have fled.”

Now the people wanted to go ahead on the path of dignity and prosperity
overcoming such an unprecedented terrible situation, he said.

So there is no alternative to state reformation for transforming the country
into a desired Bangladesh of the people, said Tarique Rahman.

“But state reform is a continuous, long term and constant process. In order
to reform the state in a sustainable and effective manner, direct
participation of the people in the reform process is essential,” he said.

BNP acting chairman said people’s participation in the state reform process
is ensured by guaranteeing their voting rights in the democratic countries.
Because in a democratic state, the effective bridge between the government
and the people is a representative national parliament, he added.

On a priority basis, reform or restructuring of constitutional institutions
including Election Commission, law enforcement agencies, public
administration and ACC is necessary as the first step to reinstate the
people’s right to vote which was stolen and to establish a government
represented by the people, said Tarique Rahman.

“To achieve that goal, we believe that the interim government is taking ahead
the state reform activities as per their plan,” he said.

Therefore, the people are ready to give all possible support to the interim
government for the necessary state reforms to take the country on the
electoral roadmap with the goal of forming a representative state and
government by direct vote of the people, he said.

“Our party BNP thinks that there is no way to ignore the fact of ensuring
transparency in the outlook and activities of the country’s political parties
for making effective state reforms,” he said.

In this regard, in July 2023, the BNP as a political party announced a
programme for political reform of the party along with the state reform.

BNP gave a 31-point framework for the state reform which included forming an
inclusive, discrimination free and harmony-based government on the basis of
Bangladeshi nationalism in coordination of all opinions and paths,
introduction of election-time party-neutral caretaker government system,
making integration of power, duty and responsibility of executive,
legislature and judiciary for establishing balance of state power, not
serving as prime minister by an individual for consecutive two terms,
introduction of bicameral legislature and even examining the matter of
amending the Article 70 of the constitution, he said.

“Our party BNP thinks there is no alternative to reform the state and
politics to establish Bangladesh as desired by the people. People also
believe that if the long-term state reform activities are made by a
government elected directly by the people, it will be more effective. It is
also recognized in the democratic world,” Tarique Rahman continued.

“We have no scope to look back again. The dictator, who had fled, took away
15 years of the national life. By overcoming that nightmare, BNP’s goal for
the coming days is to build a discrimination free, safe, humane Bangladesh
for the people of the country,” he said.

The BNP acting chairman said BNP believes that in today’s world of
information technology, the present generation wants to see the
implementation of promises rather than the politics of words and to see the
doors of prosperity, respect and possibilities as open.

For this, all the doors of potential should be opened in front of the future
generation and working manpower along with making the structural changes of
the state and politics, he said.

Tarique Rahman said new areas of employment should be created at home and
abroad along with formulating vocational-based education policy having moral
values.

In order to ensure overseas employment, if required, skilled manpower should
be created on a priority basis under state initiatives, he said.

Pointing at leaders and workers of BNP across the country, he said: “You are
the soul of BNP. You did not deviate from the ideology of nationalism even
after being victims of so many repressions and tortures, attacks, cases and
harassment. I know many of you had become victims of repressions and tortures
in years after years in the past by the mafia government and its cohorts.”

“But under this changed situation now, my request to you is that you don’t be
revengeful for being victims of repression in the past. Don’t take law in
your hands rather take legal steps if you become victims of injustice and
unjust. But you should remain careful that none can fall victim to attacks
and cases for harassment,” he added.

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