Tariq Rahman ordered the leaders and activists of the party at all levels to stand by the people by reminding them that 'the upcoming elections are not so easy for BNP, people matter'. He said, 'I have been saying for months that the upcoming elections are not as easy as you think. No matter how much you brag in your mind, BNP has branches up to the village… what about others? So you are bragging… no. You may have branches… our leaders and activists have created those branches… have taken the party to the village, taken the party to the ward.'
On Sunday (January 19), acting chairman of the BNP party, Tariq Rahman, made this call from London. This discussion meeting was organized on the occasion of the 89th birth anniversary of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman at Ramnar Engineers Institution Auditorium.
Senior leaders including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir laid wreaths at Ziaur Rahman's grave in Sherbangla Nagar in the morning.
Tariq Rahman also said, 'But still people matter, people matter. The people are our strength, the people are our support, the people are our strength. If the people are not with us… the people explained on August 5. So if we make a mistake, the people will explain something again… but then we have to pay attention. But then we have to hurry,” said the Acting Chairman of BNP.
Addressing the activists, Tariq Rahman said in a firm voice, 'There is still time… Come, come, come, we stand by the people, we stand with the people.'
He said, 'Whoever does something, which will harm you-me, which will harm my party, our party will be harmed… We will protest against him, we will protest against him. Today on Shahid Zia's 89th birth anniversary, if Shahid Zia is to be truly remembered, if Shahid Zia is to be truly honoured… Today, Deshatrei Begum Khaleda Zia, I pray for her—for health. But the national leader will be most happy when he sees that the people have given support to BNP… This matter needs to be told to you as Khaleda Zia's soldier….'
He said, 'Who are the small leaders, who are the village leaders, who are the union leaders, who are the big leaders, who are the departmental leaders, who are the central leaders, this is not the issue. The point is we have to be united, we have to stand up against injustice.'
'We have to stand in such a way that the people understand that we are with them, the people understand that we are on their side. People understand that we are what they want, we are there… We are there for people as they expect…. Today on the 89th birth anniversary of President Shaheed Ziaur Rahman, this is our oath, this is our pledge today.'
Tariq Rahman said, “Wherever it is determined at every level of the government of the state… be it the national parliament, be it the municipality, be it the union council, whatever it is, that is accountability… the vote is the only one, the voter is the only one… accountability at all levels of the society of the state if we are accountable.” If we can create, then gradually we will be able to move forward.'
Highlighting the 17 years of torture and imprisonment of BNP leaders and activists, Tariq Rahman said, 'We know that as an average, 60 lakh BNP leaders and activists have various false disappearance cases. About five hundred BNP leaders and workers were martyred in the movement, the people's movement, in the month of July-August alone. Thousands of activists were injured in various ways. We BNP leaders and workers, who have endured torture and torture—those in that motorcycle fleet, have they endured torture and torture? Of course not.'
'As human beings, we may be confused, but in the situation where we have come to today—colleagues, I humbly request you to cooperate… not only in this discussion, but all the workers-soldiers of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia in the whole of Bangladesh, I humbly request you, please do not allow those motorcyclists to crowd…. Please remember the Janaza image of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman and please refrain from doing misleading things.'
Tariq Rahman said, 'Everyone says that if there is an impartial election, various negotiators also say that those who do not support BNP… If there is a normal fair and impartial election in the country, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party has the highest chance of forming the government. I want to ask you a question, do you think you will be fine if a situation arises where someone else forms the government to protect their own interests or some of our leaders get confused? Can the BNP leaders and activists live well?'
At this point the workers in the auditorium of the Ramner Institution of Engineers chanted 'no'.
We do not know who will leave and what will come. But that wouldn't be good for any of us. If for some reason someone else forms the government, as a political worker you have to have so much thought and sense, if someone else forms the government in the context of Bangladesh politics, be it in the context of international politics, will it be good for the country and the nation?'
The activists once again said in unison, 'No'.
Tariq Rahman said, 'I want to strongly believe that you said no firmly – you said it with understanding. If you did not understand, then you are right. So if it's right we still have time to stand by people, we still have time to go the way people want. But at the end of the day, as a political activist you have to go to these people, to this man, to these voters.'
'Two days ago I was watching a man's talk show… the negotiator was talking about still not understanding that the dictatorship is gone, they are trying to get back on their feet. They can do it. But if they come to the polls, how will they appear in front of the people… They have killed 2,000 people, injured about 30,000 people, according to UNICEF, they have killed about 64 children in this month of July-August… But the answer is from their people. It must be given.'
Pointing out that BNP leaders and workers also have to answer to the people, Tarek said, 'If any of us do anything till we come that day, you have to answer too… When you go to the people at polling time, you have to answer… No!'
At that time, if he says that this man came and treated me this way or did this injustice to me, a member of your party… then if you say, he is not mine, will that person accept it? don't accept We have clear examples before us — when the people are angry, how the people force the dictatorship to flee. These trends are still shining. At the end of the day people are everything. We are all trying to get the people's support, to get the support we have to try to get the people's support, why should you close your eyes against injustice?'
Tariq Rahman said, “No matter how big I think, if the people turn their backs and I will not name names, whatever political forces, big or small, they are against us in various ways because of the activities of these motorcycle riders. In addition, some are trying to communicate. We have to be careful and strong about this….'
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir presided over and Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tukur moderated the discussion meeting, party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moin Khan, Amir Khusru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Vice Chairman Ahmed Azam Khan, Chairman's Advisory Council Member Amanullah Aman, Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anyi, Metropolitan South BNP Convener Rafiqul Alam Majnu, North Convener Aminul Haque, Juba Dal General Secretary Nurul Islam Nayan, Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib spoke.
Besides, poet Abdul Hai Shikdar, Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor Professor Kamrul Ahsan and Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamun Ahmed spoke at the discussion meeting.
