Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has called for calm and restraint, urging people to maintain peace and order as he outlined his vision for building a safe and prosperous Bangladesh.
Speaking on Thursday to a large gathering at the July 36 Expressway, also known as the 300-Feet Road in Dhaka, Rahman said collective efforts were needed to transform the country.
“We want peace. We want to build a safe Bangladesh for all,” he said. “We have to remain calm and patient in the face of any provocation.”
The speech marked Tarique Rahman’s first public address since returning to Bangladesh after nearly 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom.
He appealed for unity across social and religious lines, saying his vision was to build a country where people of all backgrounds could live in peace and security.
“I have a plan for the people of my country and for my country,” he said, invoking the famous “I have a dream” speech by US civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. “Today, standing on the soil of Bangladesh, I say: I have a plan.”
Tarique Rahman said his plan focused on national development and improving the lives of ordinary citizens, adding that its success depended on cooperation from all sections of society.
“If this vision is to be implemented, I will need the cooperation of every single person,” he told the crowd.
He concluded by calling on people to pledge their commitment to working together to build what he described as an inclusive, peaceful and prosperous Bangladesh.
Tarique Rahman returned to the country earlier in the day, drawing large crowds along his route from the airport to the public gathering. His return has been closely watched amid heightened political activity ahead of the upcoming national election.
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