Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Friday urged all to work together to build an inclusive and self-reliant Bangladesh, ensuring that everyone can live well together. ‘Let the pledge of this Independence Day be that not just one section of society, but all of us will live well together. We will all strive to live well together, and we will do so, Insha’Allah,’ he said, while addressing a discussion marking Independence and National Day.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the programme was organised by BNP at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium in the capital, where the Prime Minister attended as the chief guest. Tarique said the current democratic government has been formed by the people and belongs to them. ‘This democratic government has been established by the people of this country,’ he stated.
The Prime Minister said although the people’s aspirations are vast, the country’s resources remain limited, and there is a gap between the nation’s ambitions and its means. ‘But as a citizen and a political worker, I firmly believe that if we move forward in unity and work together for the country, we will surely be able to build our desired self-reliant Bangladesh. On this great Independence Day, I would like to convey this message to all democracy-loving people, my party colleagues across Bangladesh,’ he expressed.
To achieve that goal, the Prime Minister said the government has taken various initiatives targeting different sections of society, including the introduction of family cards, farmers’ cards, and canal excavation programmes. He mentioned that steps have already been taken and their implementation has begun to improve people’s living standards.
Referring to the Liberation War, Tarique paid tribute to BNP founder and Liberation War proclaimer Ziaur Rahman and all martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country. He highlighted the glorious history of independence and the Liberation War, which will continue to be discussed and researched for generations to come.
Tarique, however, cautioned that nothing should be done or said in the name of discussion, criticism, or research that could undermine the glorious history of the country’s independence and the Liberation War. ‘If we remain trapped in the past, we lose sight of the present. But if we forget the past, we lose our direction entirely,’ he remarked.
The BNP leader reminded that while the past must not be forgotten, it should not be overemphasised either, as excessive focus on the past has hindered the country’s progress towards a prosperous future. Drawing the attention of the younger generation, he noted that martyred President Ziaur Rahman was an indispensable character in Bangladesh’s independence and the Liberation War.
Tarique said attempts had been made in the past to undermine Ziaur Rahman’s contributions, but those efforts in fact proved that he was indeed a key figure in the Liberation War. He explained that Ziaur Rahman did not suddenly make the declaration of independence but had long been prepared for it.
The Prime Minister referred to Ziaur Rahman’s article titled ‘Birth of a Nation’, published on March 26, 1972, in the Dainik Bangla. Tarique said when Ziaur Rahman’s article was first published, the Liberation War had just ended, and those who had been directly or indirectly involved were still alive, but no one raised any objection or made any statement contradicting the contents of the article.
Highlighting the value of independence, the Prime Minister said only those who struggle for freedom can truly realise its importance. ‘We achieved independence in 1971 through immense sacrifice, and in recent times too, people have made sacrifices to protect democracy and the country,’ he said.
Tarique recalled recent struggles, noting that many lives were lost in movements for democracy, adding that the ultimate goal of all struggles-from 1971 to 1990 and 2024-was to establish a democratic Bangladesh based on equality, human dignity, and social justice.
The discussion began at 3:00 pm with a recitation from the Holy Quran. The Prime Minister arrived at the venue at 3:57 pm. At the beginning of the event, a munajat was offered seeking eternal peace for the souls of the party’s founder, martyred President Ziaur Rahman, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, and those who were martyred in the Liberation War.
BNP Standing Committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and Salahuddin Ahmed, among others, spoke at the programme, with BNP Secretary General and Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in the chair.