Tarique asks Jamaat: If BNP is so bad why you didn’t resign from then govt
Staff Reporter :
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Tuesday questioned its arch contender in the upcoming polls, Jamaat-e-Islami that if you think BNP is so bad then why you did not resigned from the then BNP led government.
Tarique Rahman also alleged that a political party—apparently referring to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami—is attacking the BNP using language similar to that once employed by an autocratic ruler who later fled the country.
Addressing a large public rally at the Circuit House ground in Mymensingh, Tarique said such rhetoric reflected the persistence of an authoritarian political mindset.
He warned that history clearly demonstrates the eventual consequences of such politics.
Rejecting accusations branding the BNP as corrupt, he noted that two Jamaat leaders had served as ministers throughout the BNP-led government’s full term from 2001 to 2006.
“If the BNP were truly corrupt, why did their ministers remain in office instead of resigning?” he asked, adding that they stayed because they knew former prime minister Khaleda Zia did not tolerate corruption.
Tarique said efforts to malign the BNP by recycling authoritarian narratives would not succeed, as people are now more politically aware and capable of evaluating claims critically.
He also cited international data indicating that corruption in Bangladesh began to decline during Khaleda Zia’s tenure starting in 2001.
He accused critics of the BNP of exposing their own inconsistencies and said his party believes in politics driven by action rather than inflammatory rhetoric. According to him, the BNP has both the experience and a concrete plan to serve the people and curb corruption.
Calling for national unity, Tarique urged people of all castes, creeds and religions to remain united, as they were in 1971 and during the July uprising, to ensure victory in the upcoming election and rebuild the country.
“We achieved independence through immense sacrifice in 1971. Then again, on 5 August 2024, students and people from all walks of life came forward to protect that freedom,” he said, adding that in both moments, people stood together without divisions of geography or faith.
He urged supporters to unite once more on 12 February. “If we remain united, just as we won independence and defeated autocracy, we will be able to build the Bangladesh we aspire to,” he said.
Tarique said rebuilding the country in line with public expectations requires a single guiding principle: “Work for the country, build the nation; Bangladesh above all.”
“Only through unity can people’s rule be established and accountability ensured,” he said, calling on supporters to pledge to transform Bangladesh into a truly people-driven state.
During the rally, Tarique introduced 24 BNP candidates from Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Netrokona and Sherpur, formally handing them the party’s paddy sheaf symbol. “I am placing them in your hands. Ensure their victory so they can serve you,” he told the crowd.
Accompanied by his wife, Zubaida Rahman, Tarique arrived in Mymensingh by road around 3:30pm as part of his nationwide election campaign.
Thousands of leaders and activists from the four districts gathered at the venue, creating heavy congestion as security personnel struggled to clear a path for his motorcade.
Before taking the stage, Tarique met family members of those killed or injured in the July uprising and in democratic movements against Sheikh Hasina over the past 17 years, offering condolences and expressing solidarity.
Zubaida Rahman, though silent on stage, repeatedly waved to supporters and appeared visibly moved by the reception.
Emphasising voter vigilance, Tarique urged supporters to line up at polling centres from early morning on election day.
“Vote as soon as polling begins, but do not leave afterward,” he said, urging them to remain present to ensure votes are counted properly.
“For many years, people were denied their voting rights and ballots were stolen in different ways.
This time, we must stay alert so no one can steal our votes,” he said. When he asked the crowd to pledge to guard polling stations and received a loud affirmation, he responded, “Inshallah.”
Outlining BNP’s plans if elected, Tarique spoke of introducing family cards for women, farmer cards for cultivators, health cards for all citizens, and initiatives to reduce unemployment.
Describing 12 February as a decisive moment, he said people would finally be able to exercise their voting rights after 16 years marked by enforced disappearances, killings and repression.
He blamed unresolved regional issues on “night-time voting and dummy elections” that deprived the country of a genuine mandate.
Focusing on Mymensingh, he said a BNP government would create jobs by exporting fish fry, ensure timely supply of seeds and pesticides for at least one farming season, and work to make the region drug-free through youth skill development.
He also pledged to deliver basic healthcare at people’s doorsteps and improve the living standards of imams and muezzins through specialised training programmes.
The rally was presided over by BNP candidate for Mymensingh-5 and South District Convener Zakir Hossain Babul. After the event, Tarique left for Gazipur to attend another campaign rally at Rajbari College ground.