Conspiracies underway against democracy, Tarique warns at Sylhet rally
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman today said while the country is moving toward establishing democracy through the sacrifice of many lives, some groups are attempting to conspire both inside and outside the country.
Addressing the party’s first election rally at the Alia Madrasa ground in Sylhet this afternoon, he said, “Recently, you have seen in newspapers and on social media how postal ballots sent to different countries, including the Middle East, were stolen. Just as those who once fled the country carried out vote rigging before, the same kind of conspiracy has begun again.”
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Calling on everyone to stay alert against such conspiracies, he said, “They are plotting even while staying abroad. We must remain careful to protect the rights we have gained through the sacrifice of thousands of lives, including those of Ilias Ali, Didar, and Junaid.”
“In the mass movement of 2024, thirteen people lost their lives in Sylhet city alone. Through the sacrifice of these lives, we stepped onto the path of claiming our rights. But a vested group has started conspiring to block that path. Their plotting continues inside the country,” he said.
“But on August 5 (in 2024), the people of Bangladesh proved that if the people remain united, any conspiracy can be resisted. Can you resist it?” he asked the gathering.
At one point, he called a person from among the leaders and activists onto the stage and asked, “What do you all believe, who is the owner of the Holy Kaaba? Who is the owner of this world? Who is the owner of heaven and hell? Who is the owner of the sun and the stars?”
The person answered “Allah” to all the questions.
Tarique then said, “If Allah is the owner, does anyone else have the power to give these things? They do not. So, what does that mean? Before the election, a party is saying it will give tickets, isn’t it? If someone promises to give what does not belong to them, that amounts to shirk. They are deceiving you even before the election—so imagine how they will deceive you after it.”
He added, “We gained independence in 1971 through the sacrifice of millions. We all saw the roles people played then—how, because of some, millions were martyred and women were subjected to repression. The people of Bangladesh remember all of that.”
“So we must unite against lies, propaganda and attempts to mislead the people,” Tarique said.
“We have freed the country from autocracy. Now we must establish people’s rights -- not only the right to vote and speak, but also the right to build a self-reliant life. Our goal is to ensure that every person can live properly, eat and dress well, and move safely,” he added.
He said his party does not only want voting rights or freedom of speech, but wants to make the people of the country economically self-reliant.
“BNP wants to build the future Bangladesh with women, mothers, sisters, youths, farmers, and people of all professions. We have seen how the country progressed during the time of Shaheed Zia and Khaleda Zia. Industries were built, jobs were created, and people got opportunities to work abroad,” he said.
Tarique again urged people to vote for the ‘Dhaner Shish’ (sheaf of paddy) symbol, saying that if the BNP forms the government, it will run the country in line with the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) principles of impartiality.
Following his address in Sylhet, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman arrived at the Ainpur playground in the Sherpur area of Moulvibazar at 3:00pm.
Earlier, he had departed from the Sylhet Alia Madrasa ground at approximately 1:30pm to continue his election campaign tour across the region.
The rally has been organised by the Sylhet district and metropolitan BNP, along with Sunamganj district BNP, and it is being presided over by Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Qaiyum Chowdhury.
Our Sylhet and Moulvibazar correspondents contributed to this report.
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