PM calls for politics beyond revenge

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday called for an end to what he described as a “mentality of revenge”, urging all stakeholders to prioritise national development over retaliation.

Speaking at a view-exchange meeting with journalists covering the BNP beat at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka, he said there is currently no environment in Bangladesh for muzzling the media and sought greater cooperation from journalists in addressing national challenges.
“Let us try to change our mindset a little.

If something happened to me, taking revenge will not bring it back or make things as they were before.

We should move away from that mindset and think about what we can do for the country, for society, and for people,” he said.

“Whether we succeed or not is a different matter… but at least we can try. Success is a different issue. With this mindset, why shouldn’t we move forward?” he added.

The Prime Minister said the government was committed to ensuring media freedom and maintaining constructive engagement with journalists. “Today is an important day for the newspaper industry of Bangladesh.

On this day, all newspapers in the country were once shut down, leaving only four in publication,” he said.

He added, “Today, we are able to sit and talk with so many journalists.

It proves one thing that the environment in which the press was once stifled no longer exists, at least not at this moment.

The kind of restrictions that were imposed on press freedom in the past are no longer there.”

Referring to June 16, 1975, he said all newspapers except four were closed at that time and political parties were dissolved under the one-party BAKSAL system.

He also recalled that former President Ziaur Rahman later restored multi-party democracy and lifted restrictions on newspapers.

June 16 is observed by many journalists and media organisations as the “Black Day of Newspapers”, marking the closure of most publications in 1975.

The meeting formed part of a series of engagements between the Prime Minister and media professionals.

Since assuming office on February 17 this year, he has held separate meetings with newspaper editors, senior journalists and television executives.

A significant portion of his remarks focused on drug abuse among young people, which he described as a growing social concern requiring collective action.

“Our young generation is facing a serious drug problem. It exists globally, but the situation here is worrying,” he said.

He stressed that enforcement and treatment alone were insufficient to address the issue.

“We cannot arrest, treat or counsel everyone due to limited resources… We must think about how to guide our future generations away from this problem.

At the same time, we have to create opportunities for young people to use their energy positively,” he added.

Highlighting the decline in recreational spaces, he questioned how many playgrounds remained in Dhaka and other parts of the country.

“Playgrounds are disappearing. There are hardly any facilities for boys and girls to play,” he said.

Emphasising youth development, he noted that people aged 15 to 25 possess significant energy that must be channelled constructively.

He said the government had launched the Notun Kuri sports and cultural competitions, with around 22 lakh students participating in a recent national educational event.

He also called for greater emphasis on science fairs, debate competitions and year-round cultural activities in educational institutions to foster creativity and civic responsibility.

Expressing concern over what he described as declining moral and social values, he said incidents were increasingly being recorded rather than prevented, even in situations requiring intervention.

The Prime Minister further stressed the need to strengthen social and religious values from the school level, alongside awareness-building initiatives to promote compassion and responsibility.

At one point, he reflected on his time in London, saying he missed the greenery and bird songs he enjoyed during summer walks.

Seeking cooperation from journalists, he said the government alone could not address all national challenges.

“You can help me a great deal. Without your cooperation, it will be difficult to know whether we are moving in the right direction or not,” he said.

“I am making an appeal to you today. If you help me, it will make my work much easier,” he added.

Tarique Rahman stressed the importance of protecting the environment and guiding future generations.

“We must protect our environment and our future generations, and ensure our children are kept on the right track,” he said, adding that this should be achieved through education, culture, sports and moral development.

The programme was moderated by Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony and attended by Information Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon, State Minister Yasser Khan Choudhury, Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahdi Amin, Press Secretary Saleh Shibly, Speechwriter SAM Mahfuzur Rahman, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon and other officials.