Tarique Rahman: ‘Elections Will Be Held On Schedule,’ I Assert.

Tarique Rahman, the Acting Chairman of the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party), stated that the upcoming national election is not merely a poll for acquiring ‘experiment and experience.’ He noted that this election is more complex and crucial than those in the past because it involves the dreams, aspirations, hopes, interests, and potential of the current and future generations. It is also linked to the question of consolidating Bangladesh’s interests and sovereignty.

He said, “I hope the election will be held on schedule. I will be with the people on the battlefield of the vote.”

He made these remarks while addressing a discussion meeting organized by the BNP on the occasion of Great Victory Day on Monday (December 15) at the Engineers Institute auditorium in Ramna, Dhaka. He joined the session virtually from London as the chief guest.

Tarique Rahman asserted, “It has been proven in every movement and struggle—including 1971, 2024, November 7, 1975, and the anti-autocracy movement of ’90—that if the people are united, no one can thwart the victory of the masses. I firmly state that the election will be held on schedule.”

“I, too, will be with you, Insha’Allah, in this electoral procession to establish the people’s rights in the villages, towns, cities, neighborhoods, lanes, alleys, and on the streets, ahead of the upcoming election.”

He stated, “The next decade will be the decade of transformation. With this thought in mind, we have prepared our action plan for implementing our nation-building program.”

The BNP’s goal is to consolidate the victory of Bangladesh by utilizing the working population, which includes half the country’s population being women, more than four crore youths, and crores of farmers and laborers. He added, “We want to make every upcoming Victory Day more glorious and meaningful by establishing a self-reliant and prosperous Bangladesh.”

The BNP Acting Chairman remarked, “Our Great Victory Day is the most glorious day in the country’s history. As long as Bangladesh exists, the importance and significance of this day will never fade.”

“However, one thing we must all remember and be cautious of is that domestic and foreign evil forces are still active, as in the past, in attempts to undermine the Great War of Liberation and independence. The colors, forms, and faces of the conspirators may have changed over time, but their character has not,” he noted.

He mentioned that Bangladesh is not a piece of land that suddenly emerged from the sea. The independence of this land, named Bangladesh, was achieved in exchange for the sacrifices of millions of martyrs and the honor of countless mothers and sisters. He said, “Numerous stories, books, and poems have been written about the glorious history of independence and the War of Liberation.”

“Many of you may know that there is an article written by the Proclaimer of Bangladesh’s Independence, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, titled ‘The Birth of a Nation,’ about the events preceding and following the War of Liberation. This article is a unique document of the history of our independence and the War of Liberation.”

He alleged that a fallen, fugitive circle has distorted the history of Bangladesh’s independence and the War of Liberation solely for their own petty partisan interests.

He criticized that because of the thoughtless attempts to turn the history of independence and the War of Liberation into partisan history, a defeated circle of the War of Liberation is now exploiting the situation to try and write a new history of victory.

He said, “Instead of revenge and retaliation in confronting the defeated circle, the establishment of a self-reliant, prosperous, and democratic Bangladesh to deliver the benefits of victory to every person’s home should be the pledge of this Victory Day.”

“The BNP believes that until the political and economic empowerment of the people in this state is ensured, independence and democracy will not stand on a sustainable foundation.”

He believes that the prerequisite for empowering the people is the establishment of a state and government accountable and answerable directly to the people through direct votes. This is why the BNP has always taken a firm stance in favor of holding a free, fair, and neutral election at any cost, to establish the people’s rights in the state and government.

He further stated, “The people of the country are witnesses: multiple anti-Bangladesh interest groups repeatedly attempted to create obstacles to the holding of the election by imposing unnecessary conditions one after another or through various excuses.”

“However, overcoming all hurdles, the Election Commission has finally announced the date for the long-desired national election after more than a decade and a half.”

“But the conspirators have not yet stopped. The shooting of Osman Hadi, a brave son of democracy, is part of that conspiracy.”

He posed several questions, saying, “What was Osman Hadi’s crime? I believe the character of the assassins will become clear to the pro-democracy people through the answers to a few questions. Who would be happy if the current interim government is proven a failure? Who would benefit if the current interim government remains in power without an election? Who benefits if the people’s government, elected by the people’s vote, is not established in the country? I believe the assassins of Hadi are hidden in the answers to these questions.”

Tarique Rahman concluded, “To deliver the benefits of the great victory to every citizen’s home, the BNP once again seeks the cooperation, support, and opportunity from the people in the upcoming national election.”