Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has said that genuine national development is possible only by ensuring people’s economic and social security and making them self-reliant. He said the government’s primary goal was to improve people’s lives and that Bangladesh’s fortunes could change only when every citizen became economically self-sufficient.
At the same time, the prime minister urged people to remain vigilant against those spreading misinformation and attempting to create instability. Referring to their past activities, he called on citizens to keep such people “under close watch.”
Tarique Rahman made the remarks on Sunday while attending a series of programs in Kishoreganj, including the inauguration of National Fisheries Week 2026, releasing fish fry into the Old Brahmaputra River, laying the foundation stone for a development project at the historic Sholakia Eidgah, joining a tree-planting program, and distributing Family Cards, honorariums and financial assistance among people from different professions.
Throughout the day, the prime minister highlighted the government’s priorities in development, employment, social protection and public welfare.
Focus on making people self-reliant
Speaking as the chief guest at a program at Kishoreganj Stadium, where Family Cards were distributed and honorariums provided to religious figures, including imams, muezzins, priests, monks and pastors, Tarique Rahman said no country could move forward by leaving its people behind.
“Development will not come simply by raising big slogans,” he said. “Every citizen must be made economically self-reliant. The country will move forward only when people’s quality of life improves.”
“The fortunes of the country can be changed only by changing the fortunes of its people,” the prime minister said.
Tarique Rahman said the government wanted to build Bangladesh into a self-reliant and welfare-oriented state rather than simply following the model of another country.
He said the government wanted to establish a Bangladesh where people from every section of society would receive the dignity and support they deserved from the state.
The BNP, he said, believed in politics that created employment, supported farmers in increasing production, expanded educational opportunities and encouraged the establishment of new factories and industries.
Claiming that the pledges made before the election were being implemented gradually, the prime minister said ordinary citizens were witnessing development activities first-hand.
Family Card to empower women
Pointing out that women account for half of the country’s population, Tarique Rahman said no country could progress by leaving women behind.
He said programs such as the Family Card had been introduced to make women economically self-reliant and empowered.
According to the prime minister, the program would help families build a stronger economic foundation. He also highlighted government support for women to pursue free education up to the graduate level, along with assistance for those achieving good academic results.
He said the government was expanding the social safety net and bringing religious figures, including imams and muezzins, under social allowance schemes.
State assistance would continue for economically disadvantaged people, persons with disabilities and meritorious students, he said.
At the program, the prime minister handed over cheques for financial assistance to disadvantaged people and persons with disabilities, as well as a job appointment letter to a person with a disability.
Initiatives to empower farmers and fishers
Tarique Rahman said making farmers economically self-reliant was one of the government’s priorities.
Alongside the Farmer Card introduced for farmers, he highlighted access to agricultural loans.
The prime minister said agricultural loans of up to Tk10,000, including interest, had already been waived, benefiting around 1.3 million farmers.
He also announced plans to excavate 250 kilometres of canals across the country to expand irrigation facilities and address water shortages.
The prime minister also placed special emphasis on harnessing the potential of the fisheries sector to create jobs and increase export earnings.
At the inaugural ceremony of National Fisheries Week 2026 at the Achmita George Institution field in Katiadi, he said many rivers, canals, wetlands, ponds and haors across the country were still not being fully utilised.
He said these water bodies would be renovated and stocked with fish fry, while unemployed young people in surrounding areas would be given opportunities to use them.
He expressed hope that the initiative would create employment and self-employment opportunities for young people.
Tarique Rahman also urged entrepreneurs and businesses to explore new markets and increase exports of fish and fisheries products.
He said Bangladesh earned more than Tk6,000 crore in foreign currency by exporting fish and fisheries products to around 52 countries in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Around 20 million people directly or indirectly depend on the fisheries sector, he said.
The government has introduced Farmer Cards for fish farmers, registration and identity cards for fishermen, and VGF assistance for fishermen during fishing bans, he added.
Call to protect water bodies and the environment
The prime minister also stressed the need to protect the environment to preserve fisheries resources.
He said plastic bottles, tissues and other waste were polluting rivers, canals, haors and other water bodies.
Urging people to become more conscious about protecting fish, water and the environment, he said environmental protection would ensure a healthy environment not only for the present generation but also for future generations.
Highlighting several initiatives to modernise the fisheries sector, Tarique Rahman said production would be increased through 300 clusters covering 7,500 enclosures in the Khulna region.
He also announced plans to formulate a master plan and develop infrastructure for a “Shrimp City” on 7,000 acres in Chakaria, Cox’s Bazar.
The government is also planning to establish a Tk500 crore startup fund to promote research, entrepreneurship and technology-driven employment in the fisheries sector, he said.
Potential entrepreneurs would be eligible for grants ranging from Tk5 lakh to Tk5 crore, according to the prime minister.
Entrepreneurs urged to explore new export markets
Tarique Rahman stressed the need to turn the fisheries and livestock sectors into major sources of foreign exchange.
He urged entrepreneurs to explore new markets abroad and develop new products for export.
Citing Bangladesh’s first-ever export of hatching eggs to Nigeria, the prime minister said the government would provide maximum support to entrepreneurs seeking to create new export markets.
Education to be diversified
On education, Tarique Rahman stressed the need to develop students into well-rounded individuals rather than focusing solely on academic certificates.
He said students would be encouraged to develop skills not only through academic studies but also through sports, cultural activities and language learning.
He also announced plans to revive the “Notun Kuri” competition, introduced during the tenure of former president Ziaur Rahman to promote children’s talent and creativity.
The prime minister also said the government had resolved retirement allowance complications affecting 123,000 teachers who had been deprived of their benefits during the previous regime and completed the payment process.
‘Those spreading misinformation must be kept under close watch’
At the Kishoreganj Stadium program, the prime minister placed particular emphasis on maintaining stability in the country.
He urged people to remain alert to individuals spreading misinformation and rumours.
“We have to see what they did in the past. Considering their past, we have to keep them under close watch. We have to monitor what they are doing in the future based on their past actions,” he said.
Referring to political debates over reforms, Tarique Rahman said those who had not been on the streets during the past 17 years were now making grand statements in the name of reforms and spreading confusion.
He claimed that the BNP had presented its roadmap for state reforms to the people as early as 2022.
He also said the first proposals for reforms in the country had been prepared earlier under the leadership of former prime minister Khaleda Zia.
‘Ordinary people suffer when there is disorder’
After releasing fish fry into the Old Brahmaputra River in Pakundia, the prime minister also spoke about the importance of stability at a public gathering.
He said some people were attempting to create disorder on the streets.
“When there is disorder on the streets, ordinary people suffer the most,” he said, adding that people’s businesses, jobs and daily lives were disrupted while those creating disorder benefited from it.
Tarique Rahman said people now wanted peace, the rule of law, employment, education for their children and healthcare for their families.
“Everyone has to be patient to achieve these goals,” he said.
Referring to the next session of parliament, scheduled to begin on August 27, the prime minister said the government’s plan to resolve the country’s electricity problems over the next 10 years would be presented in parliament.
He also criticised the previous government’s alleged lack of planning, saying its policies had contributed to the current electricity and energy crisis.
Tk17 crore development project for Sholakia
During the final leg of his Kishoreganj visit, the prime minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for a Tk17 crore integrated development project at the historic Sholakia Eidgah ground.
He said hundreds of thousands of people attend Eid prayers at Sholakia every year.
The development project was undertaken ahead of the ground’s 200th Eid congregation, he said.
The government has already transferred Tk6 crore from its funds to the district administration for the project, according to the prime minister.
The project includes the construction of boundary walls and attractive entrances, improvement of ablution facilities, beautification of the adjacent pond, and development of the ground to make it more accessible.
The project would also create opportunities for local children and teenagers to play sports and for ordinary people to walk around the area, he said.
Tarique Rahman announced that a large number of neem trees would be planted to make the Sholakia ground more environmentally friendly and provide shade.
He also joined a tree-planting program organised by the Kishoreganj district unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and personally planted a sapling.
Busy schedule throughout Kishoreganj visit
This was Tarique Rahman’s first visit to Kishoreganj since assuming office as prime minister.
He left his Gulshan residence by road at around 9:15am for Kishoreganj. According to the prime minister’s additional press secretary, Atikur Rahman Rumon, party activists, women, children and ordinary citizens were seen standing along the roads at different locations to welcome him.
At around 11:30am, the prime minister released fish fry into the Old Brahmaputra River at the Mirzapur Chairman Bari Ghat area in Pakundia.
He later visited the Carp Hatchery Complex in Katiadi before attending the inauguration of National Fisheries Week and distributing National Fisheries Awards.
He then joined the inauguration of the Sholakia Eidgah development project and a tree-planting program.
In the afternoon, he distributed Family Cards at the old Kishoreganj Stadium and handed over honorariums to religious figures from different communities.