Dinajpur, Feb 7 (.) BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday outlined a package of development pledges for northern Bangladesh, including a major Teesta Barrage project, as he campaigned in the greater Dinajpur–Rangpur region ahead of the Feb 12 general election.
Speaking as chief guest at a rally at Birampur Government College field in Dinajpur – his grandmother’s hometown- Rahman said that a BNP-led government would prioritise “security, merit and equal opportunity” for all citizens, regardless of faith, or ethnicity, reports Prothom Alo.
“We want a Bangladesh where our mothers and sisters can move freely at night, where our brothers can live safely, work, and sleep without fear. Whether Muslim, indigenous, Hindu, Buddhist, or Christian, our identity will be based on talent and merit.”
Following his remarks, Rahman listed several pledges which he promised his party would carry out if brought into power, including monthly government stipends for mosque imams and khatibs, as well as religious leaders of other faiths, the recruitment of 100,000 healthcare workers focused on women’s and children’s health, expanded computer and skills training for teachers, and foreign-language education programmes for young people to boost employment both at home, and abroad.
Also, highlighting agriculture as a pillar of regional development, he pointed to Dinajpur’s famed lychees, and underscoring the financial gains to be made here, said that a BNP government would invest in processing and storage to enable exports. He made similar pledges to expand overseas markets for the region’s well-known Kataribhog rice.
Regarding farmer support, Rahman promised to forgive agricultural loans of up to Tk10,000 ($82), including interest, and proposed introducing a “Farmer Card” to simplify access to credit.
Drawing parallels with a proposed “family cards” system for women that would provide a fixed monthly allowance, he said the ultimate goal of the initiative was to help households and farmers become economically self-reliant.
During the rally, Rahman introduced BNP candidates for four constituencies, including Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain for Dinajpur-6, urging supporters to back them at the polls.
Earlier, opening his speech, he appealed directly to the crowd, saying he had returned to his grandmother’s home after many years and asked for their support for the BNP’s electoral symbol, the sheaf of paddy – an appeal which was met with strong approval from attendees.
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