Future politics will be for state-building: Tarique Rahman

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman today said that future politics would be the politics of rebuilding the state. “We want to build our country with Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. We want to move forward together with everyone. In the future, we will judge a person by their merit and qualification, not by their caste or religion," he said.

Tarique Rahman made the remarks while addressing an election rally at Nilphamari Town ground this afternoon. BNP chairman said, "For many years, we have struggled to establish the rights of the people. Time has come to establish those rights gradually. Now our main task is to rebuild the country, create employment for the tens of thousands of young people and arrange education for the millions of children.”

Recalling the movement and struggle for stashing the people's voting rights, he said, "One party robbed your right to vote. To reclaim it from them, leaders and activists of many parties including the BNP, many ordinary people sacrificed their lives.” Urging the people to see the coming vote as an opportunity for building the nation, he said, "The coming election is not merely an opportunity of exercising your voting rights. We must take it as an opportunity for nation-building."

Speaking about the development of the area, he said, "People of this area need employment. We want to extend Uttara EPZ here. We want to establish more factories to create employment opportunities for the people of this area." Regarding women's self-reliance, he said, "If the 'Paddy Sheaf' wins in February 12 election we will empower mothers, sisters, and homemakers of this country."

Speaking about plans for farmers, the BNP Chairman said, "If farmers are well-off, the people of Bangladesh will be well-off. We want to provide them with Krishak Card with which they will have easy access to agricultural produces, seeds, and fertilizers as they need.” Mentioning about implementing the Teesta Master Plan, a long-standing demand of the people of the region, Tarique Rahman said, "Inshallah, if BNP forms the government, our one of the key task will be to implement the Teesta Master Plan to make the region once again a lush green crop land."

He also shared plans for the development of Nilphamari Government Medical College, upgrading Syedpur Airport to international standard, and development of the Syedpur Railway Workshop. Nilphamari District BNP Convener Mir Selim Faruq presided over the event and Member Secretary AHM Saifullah Rubel moderated it. BNP Rangpur Divisional Joint Organizing Secretary Abdul Khaleque, BNP Central Executive Member Mizanur Rahman, former MP Bilkis Islam, BNP candidate for Nilphamari-2 (Sadar) constituency Shahreen Islam Chowdhury, BNP candidate for Nilphamari-3 (Jaldhaka) constituency Syed Ali, candidate for Nilphamari-4 constituency Abdul Gafur Sarkar, District BNP Joint Conveners Sohel Parvez, Mustafa Haque Prodhan, Riazul Islam, member Abu Mohammad Soaem, former District BNP President Almagir Sarkar, among others, spoke in the event.

Selima Islam, sister of the former late Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, and her brother-in-law Rafiqul Islam were also present. Tarique Rahman landed at the town field mini-stadium by helicopter at 12:50 PM. From there, he traveled by car to the municipal office building adjacent to the rally venue. He departed by helicopter for Birampur in Dinajpur district at 2:40 PM.