BNP has comprehensive plans to take Bangladesh forward: Tarique Rahman

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman said on Tuesday that his party has a detailed plan to move the country forward.

"Only the BNP has a detailed plan to move the country forward; no other party does. If we are given the opportunity to form a government, we will be able to move Bangladesh forward by implementing these plans, Insha'Allah. We will carry out realistic plans to improve the quality of life for people from all walks of life in the country," he stated.

Tarique Rahman made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony on the third day of the BNP's seven-day 'Plan for Nation Building' programme at the city's Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) Convention Hall.

He stated that by taking part in this day-long discussion, the activists learnt how the BNP intends to advance the country, how it has developed plans for various segments of society, and how those plans will be carried out.

He emphasised that the BNP has plans that affect everyone, including mothers, women, children, young men and women, farmers, primary and secondary school teachers, small business owners, and shopkeepers.

During his speech, he showed a two-minute video. The video explained Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index (CPI) in 2001, which was based on corruption from the previous three years. At the time, the BNP had only been in power for ten months. He emphasised that the BNP government improved the country's corruption index in subsequent years, eventually removing Bangladesh from the "champion" position.

"No matter how much propaganda the Awami League spreads, the truth will eventually emerge. The survey conducted by an independent organisation demonstrates that the BNP reduced corruption in the country," he stated.

The Acting Chairman of the BNP also stated that no plan can succeed unless the country's law and order are maintained. He claimed that the law and order were improved during the BNP's tenure, and that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was fully independent. He assured that its independence would be restored in the same way if necessary in the future.

Tarique Rahman mentioned that Bangladesh has about four crore families. The BNP intends to introduce a Family Card to bring all of these families under state services, he said, adding that it will initially be provided to the most deprived families before gradually expanding to all.

"Everyone will receive it, whether they are wives of farmers, Imams, primary school teachers, or shopkeepers. Even the wife of a district attorney or a judge will receive it. They might not accept it if they don't need it. However, when a benefit is made available to all, the possibility of corruption decreases," he added.

In reference to women's education, he recalled that Khaleda Zia had made education free for girls up to the HSC level. He stated that if the BNP returns to power, plans will be implemented to create not only educated but also self-sufficient mothers.

Regarding the country's food crisis, the BNP Acting Chairman stated, "The vast majority of the food consumed daily by the country's approximately 20 crore people is dependent on agriculture." Therefore, progress is impossible without strengthening farmers' hands."

He stated that small, medium, and marginal farmers would receive state support for a set period of time in order to strengthen their economic base.

"We believe that increasing agricultural production and improving the storage system for produced goods will ensure farmers receive fair prices and consumers receive products at reasonable prices," he continued.

He mentioned that illness is unavoidable around the world, but the BNP's plan focusses on training health workers to go door-to-door, raising public awareness, and emphasising disease prevention. This system will relieve pressure on hospitals while also ensuring proper treatment.

He claimed that the internet is now equivalent to a fundamental right. The BNP is considering providing free internet access in libraries, universities, and cafes, in addition to schools, colleges, and airports. The goal is to empower young people to learn, run businesses, and create content.

Tarique Rahman noted that 8 to 10 lakh people travel abroad each year, but the majority are unskilled. There is a need for skilled workers in many countries, including Europe and Japan. As a result, he stated that the BNP intends to make a second foreign language, in addition to English, mandatory at the school level.

He also presented a plan to establish technical and vocational schools in each district and upazila.

Tarique Rahman mentioned the sports sector, saying, "We will not just create doctors and engineers. We want to develop the country's young men and women into professional athletes. They will play abroad and eventually return home to become trainers."

Based on Olama Dal proposals, he stated that there is a plan to gradually raise the social status of the Imams and Muazzins of the country's nearly three lakh mosques.

He urged the activists to work for 'Dhaner Shish', saying, "The country's independence, sovereignty, and democracy now rely on nationalist forces." There's no time to sit at home. You must dive into the field. We've made the plan; now it's time to put it into action.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the BNP Senior Joint Secretary General, presided over the event.

Earlier, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan opened the event on Tuesday morning.

The event was moderated by BNP joint secretary general Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, and it featured speeches from BNP Acting Chairman's Adviser Mahdi Amin and other senior BNP leaders.

The event was attended by various Jatiyatabadi Olama Dal and Swechchhasebak Dal units from around the city.

According to Mahdi Amin, the six-day programme is more than just a policy declaration; it is an initiative to spread the party's plans throughout the country among party leaders and activists. "Every policy and plan has been presented in detail at party meetings and programmes, allowing leaders and workers to go to the field and clearly communicate them to the people. Political analysts believe that this programme will help the party prepare for the elections and mobilise public opinion," he said.