BNP’s Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday reminded party leaders and activists that in the upcoming parliamentary elections, “it’s not the candidate, but the Dhanshish [the party’s election symbol] that matters.”
Speaking at a BNP-organized event titled “Plan for Nation-Building” held at the Krishibid Institution Auditorium in Farmgate, Dhaka, Tarique Rahman said, “There is no time for us to sit idle today. Candidates have already been announced in different areas. You may not personally favor the candidate chosen in your constituency, or you may have a distant relationship with the one selected. But remember, you are not working for the candidate; you are working for your Dhanshish.”
Over a thousand student leaders and activists from 75 units of the BNP-affiliated Chhatra Dal across the country attended the program.
Addressing the student activists, Tarique Rahman emphasized, “The candidate is not the priority here. The priority is your party, BNP; the priority is Dhanshish; the priority is the country. If people vote for Dhanshish, we will be able to implement every plan for nation-building successfully.”
He added that the party’s development plans will not remain mere documents. “We will implement them at any cost, Insha’Allah, by involving the people. Our commitment today is to engage the people of Bangladesh with these plans. This will be our work over the next two months. There is no other task.”
Tarique Rahman urged Chhatra Dal leaders and activists to engage their local communities, gather support, and mobilize people for the party’s nation-building plans. He outlined BNP’s initiatives, including canal excavation, air pollution control, environmental development, waste management, nationwide sports promotion, education, healthcare, unemployment reduction, and social welfare programs such as family cards, farmers’ cards, and health cards, emphasizing that these plans should be communicated directly to the people.
He also criticized the long-standing political narrative of “I am good, all others are bad,” saying, “Sadly, even after August 5, 2024, this perception seems unchanged. It is necessary and urgent to change this. Such a mindset threatens democracy.”
On the importance of democracy, he said, “There is no alternative to democracy. We fought against past authoritarian rule because there was no accountability. Only a democratic government can ensure accountability in society, making elected officials answerable to the people.”
Referring to the student-led uprising of August 5, 2024, Tarique Rahman said, “The masterminds of that movement were ordinary citizens—housewives, small shopkeepers, rickshaw pullers, van drivers, CNG drivers, bus helpers, school, college, and university students, and even young children. Sadly, 63 children lost their lives in that movement.”
Calling on the youth to unite, he added, “The immediate future of Bangladesh depends on you. If you step forward and work together, the country has a future. Otherwise, a grave situation may await. There is no time for us to remain idle.”
The program was chaired by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, with Joint Secretary General Habibun Nabi Khan Sohel as the convener. Several BNP leaders also addressed the gathering.
