BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has alleged that the resources of people were siphoned off abroad after looting in the name of development over the last 16 years.
He made the allegation while speaking at a public meeting organised at Alia Madrasa ground in Sylhet city early Thursday (January 22) afternoon.
The BNP Chairman alleged that the conspirators are still active. "Those who have been indulged in conspiracy sitting at home and abroad, we must have to be careful about them. People of the country resisted conspiracy being united earlier, and they will do so in the days ahead."
Mentioning that people's political and voting rights were forcibly taken away in the past, he said, "We have seen that ballot papers were rigged, dummy and midnight elections were held in Bangladesh over the past 16 years. We have lost many people who laid down their lives for freedom of expression. The country was kept as mortgage to another power over the last 16 years. Because of it, I say that Bangladesh must come first, instead of Delhi, Pindi or other countries."
Tarique Rahman said money was looted in the name of so-called development an then siphoned off the country. "We want to come out of this situation. Those who fled away, those who took away people's freedom of speech, and their voting rights, they killied hundreds of people like Ilyas Ali. People have been devastated by implicating in false cases of enforced disappearance and murders."
He also said thousands of people had sacrificed their lives for holding this public meeting in 2024. The democracy-loving people of 2024 safeguardred the freedom of 1971. They saved the independence on August 5, 2024."
Referring to the arrangement made by BNP to provide education to women at free of cost, Tarique Rahman said, "We want to make mothers and sisters self-reliant economically through family cards. BNP will provide family cards to four crores of families of the country if voted to power. Head of the women in a family will receive this card. Besides, farmers will be given "farmers' cards."
At that time, he called upon people to make the BNP candidates winners in the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad election. "On the February 12, while asking for votes for the Sheaf of Paddy, I want to say one thing, Inshallah, when the BNP forms the government in the coming days, we will, Inshallah, run the country on the basis of the Prophet's (PBUH) justice."
Tarique Rahman rose to the stage at Alia Madrasa at 12:28pm. He spoke for 23 minutes. His speech covered the oppression and lawsuits against leaders and activists during the 16-year fascist rule, the enforced disappearance of Sylhet's son M. Ilias Ali, the country's fragile economy, looting, state structure transformation, family card, farmers card, health card, canal excavation, employment for the unemployed, and future plans.
The BNP chief said, "We have freed the country from autocracy. We have started the journey to establish democracy. That journey has not yet begun. On February 12, by electing the Sheaf of Paddy, that journey of democracy will begin."
The rally was presided over by District BNP President Khasru Chowdhury and conducted by Acting Mohanagar President Rezaul Hasan Qais Lodi. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and leaders from Sylhet and Sunamganj also spoke at the gathering.
END/ASA
