BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman today spoke at a doa mahfil and discussion programme held in remembrance of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia at the Chairman Bari ground in Banani in the city. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, Jan 20, 2026 (BSS) - BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman today said that if the party comes to power through the people's vote in the 13th national parliamentary election, it will dig 20,000 kilometres of canals across the country.

Addressing waterlogging and urban drainage problems, he said, "My father Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman's canal-digging programme was crucial for people across the country. Now the residents of Dhaka city are also feeling the necessity of canal excavation, as the closure of one canal after another has created serious problems. Therefore, if BNP forms the government through the people's vote in the next election, it will dig 20,000 kilometres of canals across Bangladesh."

Tarique Rahman made the remarks while speaking at a doa mahfil and discussion programme held in remembrance of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia at the Chairman Bari ground in Banani in the city.

The programme was organised by the Banani Society. Tarique Rahman's wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, was also present at the event.

Tarique Rahman discussed various aspects of his "I Have a Plan" initiative in detail, presenting a comprehensive strategy to tackle the country's waterlogging, environmental pollution, education reform, youth issues and health sector challenges.

Referring to Dhaka's waterlogging problem, he said, "The filling up of various canals has created a major issue in Dhaka city. Nearly three crore residents are affected in some way by this problem." 

He promised that, if elected, measures would be taken at the local level to restore and maintain the city's canals.

Highlighting the decline in greenery, he added, "Seventeen years ago, I was forced to leave the country. Upon returning, I noticed that the greenery has significantly decreased; it felt as if much of Dhaka had dried up. If we come to power, we plan to plant 25 crore trees within five years."

He added government and private nurseries in each upazila are being strengthened to support this reforestation drive. 

"A team of environmental experts conducted two years of research to determine which tree species are most suitable for different regions. They have mapped out the types of trees that can be planted in the north, south, east and west to benefit the environment nationwide," he said.

Tarique Rahman said that after returning to the country, he has seen a reality different from what he had heard while abroad. He noted that while criticizing opposition parties is common in politics, this time the approach must change. "We must speak and act to solve the country's crises," he said.

Tarique Rahman said leaving the city as "like a war situation" and stressed the need for long-term solutions. Presenting some proposals, he said, "Improving public transport can largely solve the traffic problem. While metro rail is expensive, a monorail system can be introduced instead. If the monorail is connected to the metro from areas like Banani and Mohammadpur, the traffic situation can be significantly eased."

He added that the monorail could pass through Mohammadpur and link to existing metro connectivity. Citing examples from European countries, he noted that MPs and ministers there travel by public transport.

On sports and education, Tarique Rahman said, "We want to bring sports into the professional sphere. Just as preparation is done for other professions, professional footballers will also receive structured training. To support this, we plan to reform the education system, giving special attention to learning English alongside Bangla, and also introducing a third additional language."

He emphasized that under BNP's plan, every student will be required to participate in at least one sport and one cultural activity, making such engagement compulsory for all students.

Tarique Rahman outlined major reforms under his "I Have a Plan" initiative, beginning with education. 

He proposed introducing a third language at the secondary level, in addition to Bangla and English, giving students the opportunity to learn languages such as French, German, Mandarin, Arabic, and Japanese. 

"Everyone knows Bangla. If they know English, a third language, can play a musical instrument and excel in a sport, their skills and competitiveness abroad will be much higher," he said.

He also spoke about expanding digital opportunities in Bangladesh, including bringing platforms like PayPal to the country and activating IT parks. 

"We will provide free Wi-Fi throughout these parks and free working spaces for those who work here. Free doesn't mean completely free-users will watch a one to one-and-a-half-minute advertisement, after which they can work for one to one-and-a-half hours," he explained.

Addressing the country's health sector crisis, Tarique Rahman said Dhaka has no central ambulance system, and proper medical waste disposal is still lacking nationwide, creating public health risks. 

He also proposed generating energy from solid waste. "Dhaka city produces 7,000 tons of garbage daily. We will convert this waste into energy and recycle it."

Concluding his speech, he appealed for public support: "Regarding the parts of 'I Have a Plan' that I have shared, if you believe these initiatives can make even a small difference, I seek everyone's cooperation."

He further claimed that no other political party has presented a detailed plan to address Bangladesh's key challenges including water management, environmental protection, health, education and job opportunities for the youth, apart from the BNP.