BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman spoke as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony at the second day of the BNP's 7-day programme titled 'Plan for Nation Building' at the KIB Convention Hall in the city. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Dec 8, 2025 (BSS)- BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today said that a country can never move forward by excluding its women.

He said, "Half of Bangladesh's population is female…We refer them as mothers or sisters…If we exclude these women, we can never take the country forward. For this reason, women must be empowered. They must be gradually developed to become self-reliant."

Tarique Rahman made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony at the second day of the BNP's 7-day programme titled 'Plan for Nation Building' at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) Convention Hall in the city.

About the 'Family Card,' a key election pledge of the BNP, he said, "We want to empower women through the Family Card. Research shows that when a mother receives financial support, she first invests in the family's health, then her children's education, and finally in small income-generating initiatives. We will first aim to deliver this card to 50 lakh families. This will gradually lead a family towards financial self-reliance."

In his speech, Tarique Rahman strongly criticized the governance system of the past 16 years and presented a comprehensive roadmap for the reconstruction of the country under the leadership of the BNP.
"Over the past 16 years, every sector of Bangladesh including agriculture, health, education, law and order, the judiciary, and the administration has been shattered. Every single institution has been used for political gain and to cling to power,” he said. 

Expressing confidence in the BNP's development philosophy, he added, "Every time the people have given the BNP an opportunity and it has tried to do something good for this country and its people."

Recalling the canal digging project initiated by the Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, the BNP’s Acting Chairman stated, "Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman's canal digging project brought about an agricultural revolution by increasing flood control and irrigation facilities...Where one crop was grown, two began to grow; where there were two, three crops started to grow. We will resume this canal digging work. This will simultaneously control floods, recharge the groundwater level, and improve the environment."

Announcing the 'Krishak Card' for the agricultural sector, he said, "We will provide various benefits and training to marginal, small, and medium farmers through this card. The goal is to strengthen the economic backbone of the farmer. We will create a pathway for them to advance from marginal to small, and from small to medium-sized farmers."

Presenting extensive plans for educational reform, Tarique Rahman said, "Our focus will be on primary education. We want to launch a 'One Teacher-One Tablet' programme for primary school teachers, which they will use for training and teaching students. We must instill habits of reading, morality, and patriotism in our children."

Emphasizing on job creation for young people, he stated, "Our goal is not just to create jobs in garments or factories. We will generate employment for millions of young men and women through sports, IT, content creation, language training, and technical skill development. We will pave the way for content creators to increase their income by introducing international platforms like PayPal."

The BNP leader also mentioned a national plan to make people from all professions, including rickshaw pullers, more productive by providing them with new skills.

Expressing unwavering support for democracy, he said, "Only an accountable democratic government can provide a permanent solution to people's problems. The masterminds behind the fall of autocracy were this country's housewives, shopkeepers, rickshaw pullers, students, and youth. The attitude of 'one is good, and everyone else is bad' is detrimental to democracy."

Addressing the members of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), he said, "You are the immediate future of this country. These plans for nation-building cannot just remain on paper. You must deliver this message from door to door, to person to person. You must reach the people's doorsteps with the commitment of the Family Card, the Krishak Card, and educational and health reforms."

He appealed to the people to vote for ‘Dhaner Shis’ (Shelf of Paddy) symbol, saying, "Only by voting for the ‘Dhaner Shis’ can the plan to build this nation be implemented."

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi presided over the event.

Earlier, BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed inaugurated the event this morning. 

BNP joint secretary general Habib-un -Nabi Khan Sohel moderated the event while BNP senior leaders spoke in the event. Different units of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) from the city participated in the event.