Staff Correspondent: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said with the overwhelming victory of BNP in the last general election the people of Bangladesh could establish their voting rights and secure freedom of speech from which they were depriving of more than 12 years. He made the remark while addressing a public rally organized by the BNP Bogura District unit at Altafunnesa ground on Monday.
Prime Minister’s wife Dr Zubaida Rahman was in the stage on the occasion, among others. “In the February 12 general election, the countrymen exercised their voting rights, which had been denied for many years,” said Tarique Rahman.
Through their votes, the people of Bangladesh delivered their verdict and entrusted BNP with the responsibility of governing the country for the next five years, he added.
When the prime minister arrived on the stage around 5:45 PM, thousands of supporters greeted him with loud applause. The smiling prime minister waved in response.
Tarique Rahman said the people of this country were deprived of freedom of speech. There was no political freedom of the people, he added. “We have seen how people were deceived in the name of development, and how looting took place under the guise of development. However, we have begun step by step to implement all promises we made before the election,” he said.
“Before the election, we told the people how we will run the country. Yesterday, in Gabtoli of Bogura, we have distributed Family Card. We promised that if BNP could form the government, we would introduce Family Card to empower mothers of this country. We have started fulfilling that promise right after forming the government,” said the premier.
Tarique Rahman added, “Not only that, standing on this very stage, I said that if BNP comes to power, we will stand by our farmers. To keep our promise we have started delivering Farmer Card to the peasants and fishermen.”
Highlighting waiving agricultural loans up to Taka 10,000 with interest the Prime Minister said BNP government completed that task within the first 10 days after assuming office. A total of 12 lakh farmers will enjoy the benefit, he said.
Meanwhile, even before the rally began, party leaders and activists started arriving at Altafunnesa ground in small processions.
By 3 PM, the entire venue turned into a human sea. The surrounding roads were also filled with a large number of people including party leaders and workers.
District BNP President and local lawmaker Rezaul Karim Badsha chaired the rally which was moderated by acting General Secretary Mosharraf Hossain, MP.
This was Tarique Rahman’s first public rally in Bogura since assuming office as the prime minister. Previously, on January 29, he had addressed an election rally at the same venue.
Tarique Rahman said BNP is committed to implementing the July Charter thoroughly but some political parties are misleading the people.
“Standing before thousands of people and in front of the media yesterday, I want to clearly say once again that every word and every letter of the July Charter that BNP signed will be implemented, InshaAllah,” he said.
“Despite our repeated clarification, we see some political parties, both inside and outside the parliament, are speaking in a way to mislead the people,” he said.
Tarique Rahman said when other political parties did not even dare to utter the word ‘reform’ in fear of autocrat BNP floated its 31-point reform agenda before the nation.
“This was because we saw how the health, education, banking, and communication sectors were pushed to the brink of destruction over the last 16 years. There was only looting and corruption in the name of mega projects,” he said.
After the country was freed from autocracy on August 5, the interim government formed the Reform Commissions, he said.
Noting that BNP placed its transparent proposals on behalf of the people, the premier said, “We always say-whatever we do, we do transparently; there are no secrets. In a democracy, there will be differences of opinion, but our goal is the development of the people.”
He said those people who are currently trying to mislead the people in the name of ‘reforms’ and the July Charter, they don’t speak about women’s freedom or women’s development.
“They even do not speak about the health commission formed to reach healthcare service to the people,” he said.
“They don’t talk about how to deal with the administration or control law and order situation; they only talk about the constitution,” the premier said.
Tarique Rahman said, “I told you during the election how they were spreading confusion. These ‘hidden deceivers’ have started their work again.”
Highlighting the government’s steps to change the fate of the people, he said, BNP has started working on every promise we made to you. Family Card, Farmer Card, and honorarium for Imams and Muezzins are being arranged. Once these are implemented, the working-class people will be benefited directly.”
He highlighted the government’s plan to dig 20,000 kilometers of canals over the next five years to protect farmers’ crops and ensure water during the dry season.
Regarding the economy and employment, Tarique Rahman said his government has initiated communication with various countries to arrange low-cost overseas employment for the youth.
About the local development in Bogura, the prime minister announced that work on the long-awaited Bogura-Sirajganj railway line would begin soon.
He also promised to upgrade Bogura Airport for cargo flights to export local agricultural products.
Furthermore, he assured that the newly declared Bogura City Corporation would be developed into a planned and aesthetic city. Earlier, the premier along with his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman arrived at the Circuit House here around 9:58 am on a daylong tour.
This is Tarique Rahman’s maiden visit to his ancestral home district after assuming office as the Prime Minister on February 17.
During his daylong visit, he unveiled the plaque of the newly constructed Bogura District Bar Association building on the district court premises.
He also inaugurated the ‘e-bail bond’ system for Bogura and six other districts at a function in the court.
Later, the Prime Minister formally declared Bogura municipality as the country’s 13th city corporation by unveiling its plaque at the municipal building.
He also inaugurated an emergency measles-rubella vaccination campaign at Ziaur Rahman Gram Hospital in Bagbari of Gabtoli upazila here. Then the premier distributed ‘Family Card’ among 911 beneficiaries at Shaheed Zia Degree College ground at Bagbari in Gabtoli upazila.
Tarique Rahman inaugurated the excavation work of the Chaukirdah canal in the Nashipur area of Bagbari by cutting the soil with a spade in the afternoon. Later, he went to his ancestral home and spent some time there with family members. In the evening, after inaugurating the new building of Bogura Press Club, the Prime Minister left for Dhaka.
