Tarique warns of ‘harder-than-expected election’
BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has issued one of his strongest warnings yet to party leaders, cautioning that the upcoming national election will be far more challenging than many had assumed, and urging them to take BNP’s national reform plans directly to the people in order to counter what he described as a “well-organised campaign of lies”.
Joining virtually from London on Thursday evening, Tarique addressed the closing session of the fifth day of the BNP’s week-long Plan to Build the Country workshop at the Krishibid Institute in Dhaka.
Leaders from various units of the party and affiliate bodies are attending the training to prepare for the elections.
Tarique reminded party colleagues that he had warned over a year ago that the next election would not be as easy or straightforward as many leaders believed. “At that time, people laughed at my words. They thought I was exaggerating,” he said. “But today, each one of you can understand exactly what I meant. The warning I gave is slowly proving true.”
He urged BNP activists to study, understand and internalise the party’s national plans, saying that without clarity and conviction, they would not be able to convince voters.
“If you don’t read the plans, if you don’t know them, how will you explain to people what you want to do for the country? In every constituency and municipality, lies are being spread to mislead the public. But you do not need lies to counter lies; you have enough truth, facts and realistic policies on your side.”
Tarique said BNP’s new national plan is a major shift from the past because it not only lists promises but also demonstrates how those promises can be executed within Bangladesh’s existing administrative, political and economic framework. “This is not a partisan document. This is a blueprint for 20 crore people,” he said.
He warned that if the party does not take the coming election seriously, the nation’s “existence and sovereignty” could be at risk. “If we fail, the consequences will be far-reaching. Democracy must be restored through the next election – only then can the country and its people be saved,” he said.
Calling on grassroots leaders to return to the field with renewed energy, Tarique reminded them that they had already endured “15 years of dictatorship”, and therefore must be prepared for the political battle ahead. “Why can’t you face this election challenge now? Why can’t you present BNP’s vision to the people with confidence?”
He also urged party leaders to rise above their personal grievances and hardships. “Many of you have cases, many of you have been victims of repression, and development in your areas has been stalled. I understand all of that. I could also talk about my mother Begum Khaleda Zia’s health or my own suffering. But politics is not for personal pain. If we only speak of our own struggles, where will the people go with theirs?”
He said the responsibility of political leadership is to become a refuge for ordinary citizens: “The people must feel that BNP is truly there for them. You must build yourselves in a way that earns their trust and confidence.”
According to Tarique, if BNP leaders can take the eight thematic issues discussed at the workshop to the grassroots and later implement them with public support, “people from every class and profession will benefit”.
Earlier in the day, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the session, with Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi chairing and Joint Secretary General Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel moderating. The week-long training aims to equip BNP activists with the ability to communicate the party’s manifesto, reforms, and policy roadmap before the polls.