Win people’s hearts with justice and generosity, not by force or intimidation: Tarique to partymen

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman today (1 September) asked his party leaders and activists to win the hearts of the people by showing justice and generosity, not force or intimidation.

"My clear message to you is that you should win the hearts of the people with justice and generosity, not by force or fear. Earn people's love," he said in a video message greeting his party leaders and activists on the occasion of the 46th founding anniversary of BNP. 

The party was founded on 1 September 1978 by late President Ziaur Rahman.   

Tarique, son of Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia, also asked the partymen not to go for revenge or take law in their own hands rather take legal actions if they were victims of injustice and misrules in the past.

"In the current changed situation, I would like to request that none of you should go for revenge for being tortured in the past. No one should take the law into one's own hands. Instead, take legal action if you were a victim of injustice and misrule. But make sure that no one becomes a victim of attacks and harassment cases," he said.

He greeted the pro-democratic people of the country of the occasion of the 46th founding anniversary of his party, saying that BNP has upheld the interests of the country and people in every movement and struggle to establish democracy and human rights in the country since its foundation while ruling the state or acting the role of an opposition political party.  

"This is why BNP is the most popular and trusted political institution, founded by the Proclaimer of Independence, for the democratic people of the country despite it overcame hundreds of adverse situations," he said.

On the founding anniversary day, the BNP acting chairman recalled with respect the contribution of those whose leadership, dedication, hard labour and merit have turned BNP as a trusted party among the people of the entire country.

Talking about the current political situation, he said it should not look back to the past as the dictator who fled the country took away 15 years of the national life.

"By siding away that nightmare, BNP's goal is to build a non-discriminatory, safe, humane Bangladesh for the people of the country in future," said Tarique Rahman.

He said BNP believes that the present generation wants to see the implementation of promises rather than the political rhetoric in the today's world of information technology. "They want to see the doors for prosperity, dignity and prospects are open," he added.

Noting that the country is now at a transitional period, the BNP leader said the interimgGovernment is facing a difficult challenge of building a discrimination-free Bangladesh as the aspirations of the students and the people.

After the sacrifice of thousands of martyrs and the painful situation of numerous students, the country became free from the dictatorship on August 5 last, he went on.

"However, the allies of the dictator still continue to hatch conspiracies to foil the success and prospects of the mass uprising. I believe that if the pro-Bangladesh force stays alert, the country couldn't be taken to a wrong way anymore. And Bangladesh will not lose its way," said Tarique.

He said the injustice and misrules of the last 15 years could not be erased from the mind of the people by carrying out conspiracies or propaganda.

Claiming that Ganabhaban is now a symbol of corruption, misrule, injustice and misdeeds of dictator Hasina, he said a demand has already been raised from different quarters to make Ganabhaban as a museum of forced disappearance, killing, abduction and genocide.

He said the memories of the victims of different misdeeds –the 2009 Pilkhana killing of army personnel, the 2013 Shapla Chattar killing, the incidents of killings, extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances carried out in during the democracy restoration movements in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022 and 2023, the 2018 movement against quota system in public jobs, the 2018 safe road movement and the 2024 mass uprising – will be preserved in this museum.

"This museum will carry that message to future generations so that no other ruler in Bangladesh follows the barbaric path of dictator Hasina to hang onto power illegally," said the BNP acting chairman.

About the flood, he said an imposed flash flood situation has affected the large part of the country's eastern region when the interim government is on track to implement the aspirations of mass uprising.  Some one crore people were affected by the flood and many people died, he said.

Tarique Rahman asked the party leaders and activists to continue their support to the flood victims. "Stand unitedly by the victims..... Also play an active role as a citizen in implementing the government initiatives to successfully complete the flood rehabilitation process," he said.