Staff Correspondent

BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman said on Tuesday that the supporters of the ousted fascist Awami League, who benefited during the authoritarian regime, are now conspiring in the country.

“A conspiracy is being plotted here. The individuals who looted thousands of crores of taka and siphoned off the money abroad, as well as those in neighbouring countries who used Bangladesh for their own gain, will not sit idly by. They will continue with their plotting,” he said while addressing a workshop for party leaders via videoconference, held at the Sylhet District Shilpakala Academy auditorium.

The event, titled “31-Point State Structure Reformation and Public Engagement”, was organised by BNP's Central Training Affairs Committee. Tarique Rahman joined the programme virtually from London.

“I want to tell our leaders and activists to remain vigilant and alert. Even though the dictatorship has fled, they have left behind their cronies, and these cronies are plotting. We must all stay alert,” he added.

Tarique Rahman reiterated that the BNP is a pro-democracy force. “The people of the country stand with us. They believe that democracy and freedom of speech are safe with BNP, and that is why they are looking to us. It is your responsibility, as leaders and activists of the BNP, to uphold the trust of the people,” he stated.

“Maintaining the continuity of democracy will ensure accountability. We will continue the democratic process at any cost. We must stand for democracy, and we must keep it alive. Wherever elections take place, they must be held through a democratic process,” he continued.

The BNP Acting Chairman asserted that the largest political party in the country is the BNP. “If the party suffers, the country and its democracy will suffer. Therefore, we must strive to rebuild ourselves in line with the people's expectations.”

He expressed his belief that BNP leaders and activists, who have endured the autocracy and oppression of the fugitive dictatorship, will continue to endure in the future.

Tarique Rahman noted that the path of democracy in Bangladesh has been obstructed in various ways. “Over the past 16 years, many people have fallen victim to forced disappearances and murders. More than 1,500 people were martyred in July-August alone,” he said.

He also said that if representatives elected by the people are held accountable through elections, the 31-point state reform proposal could be implemented.