BNP Chairman and Dhaka-17 candidate Tarique Rahman said on Friday that only a democratically elected government can truly understand the people’s aspirations and ensure Bangladesh’s sustainable development.
“What the people want cannot be understood by anyone other than an elected representative. For the past 15–16 years, people have been deprived of their voting rights, with only ‘dummy’ elections held. Now is the time to establish a government of the people,” he said.
Tarique made the remarks while delivering the main speech at his first election rally in Dhaka-17 since the official campaign began, held at the BRB School ground in Bhashantek in the evening.
Seeking votes for BNP’s electoral symbol, the sheaf of paddy, he said only BNP could bring real and positive change to people’s lives. Referring to recent political developments, he said: “We have all seen what happened over the last 15 to 16 years. On August 5, 2024, the country witnessed a change. I believe people across the country now want real, positive change.”
He said people were seeking solutions to everyday problems, including safe movement, security, education, and employment opportunities for students and unemployed youth.
Departing from the conventional speech format at the outset, Tarique interacted directly with local residents, personally taking the microphone and inviting people from different walks of life—including women, students, and marginal workers—to the stage to share their concerns. They raised issues such as road conditions, infrastructure, rehabilitation of slum dwellers, employment opportunities for women, and access to family cards.
Responding to them, he said: “I grew up in this area for nearly 50 years. Although I had to stay outside the country for a long time, I am one of you. This program has been arranged so that I can hear your problems directly. If we are able to form a government, we will work to rehabilitate the homeless and address the long-standing problems raised here today.”
Urging voters to elect him as Dhaka-17’s representative, Tarique said: “If we look back, we will see that every time the people of this country elected the sheaf of paddy, development followed and people’s fortunes changed for the better. That is why, as a candidate of the sheaf of paddy, I am seeking your votes.”
Calling for democratic reconstruction, he said the country’s institutions had been devastated over the past 15–16 years and that democracy must be restored to rebuild accountability at all levels. He questioned whether people could approach so-called MPs elected in previous polls with their local problems, arguing that the absence of accountable representatives had deepened public suffering.
“To rebuild the country, we must first restore democracy,” he said, adding that elected representatives must remain accessible and directly engaged with the people.
Tarique also outlined his future plans, saying employment would be created in a planned manner if elected. Highlighting sports development, he said BNP aimed to nurture talent so that young people could earn a livelihood through sports. “We want to produce players, not just spectators,” he said, referring to former national football team captain Aminul Haque, who was present on the stage.
Although the rally was scheduled to begin at 3pm, thousands of party leaders and activists began gathering from noon, arriving in processions. The venue overflowed before the scheduled time, with crowds spilling into nearby alleys. Amid the enthusiasm, the program eventually began at 6pm.
BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, Tarique Rahman’s wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP Convener Aminul Haque, and other senior party leaders attended the rally, which was presided over jointly by Dhaka-17 chief election agent Abdus Salam and chief coordinator Professor Farhad Halim Doner.
Tarique Rahman concluded by calling on voters to elect him as Dhaka-17’s representative and to ensure the victory of sheaf of paddy candidates nationwide.