DHAKA, Oct 18, 2024 (BSS)- Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today called upon the interim government to take realistic and tough measures on priority basis to reduce the price of essentials.

“Currently, farmers, workers, day laborers, low income group, small traders and middle class people are enduring hardship due to price hike of essential commodities. Though price has hiked, people’s income did not rise proportionately,” he said.

“If people don’t get full meal every day, it’s hard to convince them with any good word,” he said while addressing a discussion virtually marking the silver jubilee of Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF).

ZRF’s Overseas Committee Chief Adviser Dr Zubaida Rahman and BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Executive Director of ZRF Dr Farhad Halim Donar also took part in the discussion held at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium in the capital.

Tarique Rahman, also president of ZRF, suggested the interim government for including more members in its advisory council for better functioning of the government if necessary.

The BNP Acting Chairman said that the beneficiaries of the autocrat government were raising their heads at home and abroad and administration as well to frustrate the interim government.
 
If the poisonous tree of conspiracy cannot be uprooted, the achievement of the student-led mass movement will go in vain, he said, adding that the state would have to work as per the people’s expectation.

Tarique Rahman said there will be no benefit keeping the cohorts of autocrat in different positions.

The Mafia clique have carried out genocide in the country and the people have got back their freedom of speech through the mass movement and now the deprived people of the mafia regime want their rights, he added.

The blood of the martyrs has not dried out yet, he mentioned and suggested the interim government that it should work on priority basis. In this connection, he said lack of coordination of the government in some cases is becoming visible now.

Regarding different institutional reforms, he said reform is crucial and important matter, but it is an ongoing process and it takes time.

The BNP Acting Chairman said that there was no alternative to an elected government with people’s representation to establish the people’s rights. Reform works will be easier if people are engaged in it, he added.

Tarique Rahman said during the dictatorial regime, many of their leaders and workers grabbed land, properties, shops and business establishments in various places in the country.

The victims have become desperate to retrieve their properties from the grabbers, he said adding that the interim government should take steps in retrieving the properties.

He urged the citizens to work with the mentality of volunteers as the people have responsibility to the state as like as the state has responsibility to its people.

“Let us come out from the politics of vengeance and revenge and work together for the welfare of the country,” he said.

Tarique Rahman recalled the victims of July and August revolution.

About Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF), Tarique Rahman, also the President of the foundation said Ziaur Rahman was an indispensible name in the history of Bangladesh. The foundation is a voluntary organization engaged in various service-orientated activities for long.

Extended thanks to all working with this foundation as volunteers, he said the ZRF volunteers have been working tremendously for the victims of mass movement that ousted the autocratic regime.

 

Taking part in the discusision as the Chief Guest, BNP Standing Committee Member Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said that during the autocratic regime, the new generation had kept themselves away from politics, but the student and masses played a key role in the July-August revolution and they struggled for restoration of democracy.

“Today the new generation is showning interest to politics…They have to go ahead with responsibility…They have to take preparation to build the country…We love the country,” he said.

Dr Moyeen Khan said Tarique Rahman is leading BNP and after the martyrdom of President Ziaur Rahman, Begum Khaleda Zia took the responsibility of the party and brought BNP to the doorsteps of general masses. “The new generation should keep in mind the continuation of the sacrifices,”he added.

He said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman had brought massive changes in the country in only four years, but others couldn’t do so in the next 40 years.

About environment, he said that it was Ziaur Rahman, who first initiated the environment friendly canal digging programme across the country.

Not only that, he (Ziaur Rahman) gave us a new identity with “Bangladeshi Nationalism”, which is considered as a flower garden where members of different communities are living with peace and harmony, Dr Moyeen said adding that Zia believed that people are the source of state power.

He said Ziaur Rahman proclaimed the War of Independence from Kalurghat Betar Kendro (radio station) and led the war and fought the war from the frontline risking his life, which further encouraged the countrymen to join the Liberation War.

The BNP leader said that Ziaur Rahman received the highest gallantry award of ‘Bit Uttam’ of the Liberation War (among freedom fighters who remained alive during the period).

The BNP founder Ziaur Rahman introduced the politics of development and turned the lifestyle of crores of people into modern ones, he said urging all patriotic forces to follow the ideology of Ziaur Rahman in running the country.

Dr Moyeen said BNP doesn’t believe in the politics of vengeance as the party does politics for the welfare of people.  

ZRF’s silver jubilee celebration committee Member Secretary Prof. Dr. Morshed Hasan Khan moderated the discussion while BNP Standing Committee Member Prof Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, Foreign Policy and International Security Analyst Prof M Shahiduzzaman, Ambassador SM Rashed Ahmed, family members of those, who were killed and received injuries in the mass movement also spoke as the special guests.

Among leaders of BNP and professionals, Prof ABM Obaidul Islam, Eng. Riazul Islam Riju, Eng. Ashraf Uddin Bakul, Golam Sarwar, Professor Akhtar Hossain Khan, Dr. Md. Abdur Rashid, Prof. Lutfor Rahman, Dr. Harun Al Rashid, Dr. Md. Abdus Salam, Dr. Shah Muhammad Aman Ullah, Dr. Shahadat Hossain, Dr. Md. Anwarul Haque, Prof. SM Abdul Awal Sohag, Dr. Abdul Karim, Dr. Abul Hasnat Md. Shamim, Journalist and Poet Abdul Hai Shikder, Kamal Uddin Sabuj, Atiqur Rahman Rumon, Amirul Islam Kagaji, Khurshid Alam, Mursalin Nomani, Eng. Mahbub Alam, Eng. Ayub Hossain Mukul and many physicians, engineers and journalists were present.

The programme began with recitation from Holy Quran by Prof. Sabirul Islam Howladar. Later, Convenor of the Silver Jubilee Celebration Committee Dr. Syeda Tajnin Waris Simki gave the welcome address.

In the ceremony, the families of 10 martyrs and 10 injured in the July-August Anti-Discrimination Movement were honored.

Barrister Mir Helal, Dr. Parvez Reza Kakan and Dr. Sarkar Mahbub Ahmed Shamim presented the identities of the martyrs while Dr Sajid Imtiaz Uddin presented the identities of the injured.

Earlier in the morning, under the arrangement of ZRF, tributes were paid to Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman by placing wreaths at his Mazar at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed was present as the chief guest at the programme.

ZRF Executive Director Dr. Farhad Halim Donar, Member Secretary of Silver Jubilee Celebration Committee Prof. Dr. Morshed Hasan Khan, ZRF leaders Shamimur Rahman Shamim, Dr. Parvez Reza Kakan, Dr. Sarkar Mahbub Ahmed Shamim, Engineer Mahbub Alam, Dr. Abul Hasnat Md. Shamim, Dr AKM Masood Akhtar Jitu were present.

The journey of Ziaur Rahman Foundation started on October 18, 1999. BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman founded this institution to preserve the memory of BNP Founder and Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman.

He is also the president of the ZRF.

Since its inception, ZRF has been working with the slogan 'One initiative, a little effort will bring solvency, bring self-reliance for the country', standing by the poor and helpless people.