BNP’s Acting Chairman, Tareq Rahman, has emphasised the urgent need to eliminate the newly emerging mob culture across Bangladesh. In a verified Facebook post marking the party’s 47th founding anniversary on Sunday, he described such behaviour as illegal and violent, creating fear and panic among the public, and stressed that it must be stopped at all costs.
Tareq Rahman highlighted that:
- Ensuring free and fair elections, good governance, and justice is essential to make the sacrifices of martyrs in the movement to restore democracy meaningful.
- The BNP’s core goal today is to safeguard the country’s independence and sovereignty while re-establishing a multi-party democracy.
He further stated that true democracy has not yet been fully realised in the country. To secure citizens’ democratic rights, it is crucial to guarantee:
| Democratic Pillar | Required Measures |
| Rule of Law | Effective enforcement of legal frameworks |
| Freedom of Expression | Citizens must express opinions independently |
| Press Freedom | Newspapers must operate without interference |
| Judicial Independence | Courts must act impartially and autonomously |
He argued that such guarantees require a people-elected, accountable government.
Tareq Rahman recalled that on 1 September 1978, President Ziaur Rahman founded the BNP, committed to:
- Protecting Bangladesh’s sovereignty and independence,
- Establishing permanent multi-party democracy.
Rahman paid tribute to Ziaur Rahman, describing him as a shaper of modern Bangladesh.
He criticised the post-independence period under the Awami League, citing:
- Disorder and violence leading to famine deaths of one million people,
- Establishment of Baksal, imposing authoritarian rule,
- Undermining the independence of the judiciary and the press.
According to Tareq Rahman:
- Ziaur Rahman restored multi-party democracy, and over the past 47 years, BNP has come to power through fair elections several times, contributing to national development and public welfare.
- Under Begum Khaleda Zia’s leadership, BNP played an uncompromising role in anti-authoritarian movements, helping to restore democracy.
- In 1991, BNP returned to power and reinstated parliamentary democracy through constitutional amendments, with Begum Khaleda Zia becoming a symbol of democratic governance.
Tareq Rahman also stressed that every time BNP assumed power:
| Focus Area | Achievements |
| Social Safety Nets | Expanded protection for vulnerable populations |
| Women’s Empowerment | Implemented initiatives to empower women and marginalised groups |
| Economic Development | Achieved transformative progress and prevented famine |
He expressed hope that BNP will continue to play a strong role in serving the nation in the years ahead, maintaining its commitment to democracy, development, and social justice.
