Tarique Rahman on mission to overcome challenges

Bangla Press Desk:  After over 17 years in exile, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has come back to the country. Last Thursday, the nation gave him a warm and grand reception, and he immediately began engaging actively upon his return.

Despite security risks, he has mingled with the crowds over the past two days, going among the people. He paid tribute to the nation’s finest sons and visited the graves of his father and brother, as well as that of Sharif Osman Hadi, a frontline fighter of the July mass uprising of ’24. Tarique Rahman has now embarked on a mission to overcome challenges.

Political analysts and political scientists say that the BNP acting chairman faces several challenges. With the 13th national parliamentary election ahead, he must devise an effective electoral strategy. He himself has spoken of security risks, and so even while moving freely, he will need to be careful of his personal safety.

To win the upcoming election, public confidence in the BNP must be strengthened further. Constant criticism or pressure may come from the opposition, which will need to be managed. At the diplomatic level, positions will have to be reassessed to improve relations with the outside world. Alongside this, organisational control within the BNP must be tightened.

Last Thursday, following his return home, Tarique Rahman delivered a brief speech at the reception organised in his honour. Though he spoke only briefly, he clearly signalled a strategic shift in BNP politics. He spoke of moving from confrontation to unity, from revenge to reconstruction, and from party politics to statecraft. He is preparing himself not merely as a party leader, but for the role of national leadership.

Professor Dr Sabbir Ahmed of the Department of Political Science at the University of Dhaka said: “Tarique Rahman’s speech was positive. He wants to move forward with everyone. He spoke about the youth. On various occasions previously, he has spoken of his plans, and he reiterated them in his speech upon returning home. The key question is whether, if his party comes to power after the election, he will be able to implement what he has said today. To face the challenges before and after the election, he must first avoid flattery and take well-considered decisions, because the nation’s future depends on him.”

After returning to the country, it took Tarique Rahman three and a quarter hours to cover the ten-minute distance from the airport to the capital’s 300 Feet Road. The following day, Friday, after Jummah prayers, he set out from his Gulshan residence to pay tribute at the grave of Ziaur Rahman. Although he reached the area in the afternoon, it was 10pm by the time he arrived at the memorial. Essentially, he has had to struggle through crowds of BNP leaders, activists and ordinary people eager to express their affection. Wherever he goes, hundreds of thousands gather.

Yesterday, as part of a pre-scheduled programme, Tarique Rahman visited the grave of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Osman Hadi. Since Friday night, however, Inqilab Moncho activists have been staging a sit-in by blocking Shahbagh intersection, demanding justice for Osman Hadi’s killing. Even so, he did not alter his programme. For his arrival, Inqilab Moncho members temporarily withdrew from Shahbagh intersection.

BNP leaders say that public confidence in the party has increased further since Tarique Rahman’s return. Many now see him as the next Prime Minister. Even so, he remains firm in organisational matters. Since 5 August last year, the BNP has taken organisational decisions against more than 7,000 leaders and activists, and this process will continue. The political instability that had prevailed for so long has largely subsided since his return. Jamaat, NCP and various other political parties have welcomed him. Despite criticism or pressure from opponents, his call for unity has been very well received by the general public.

The Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser of the interim government, Shafiqul Alam, said in a post on his verified Facebook account last Friday: “Doubts over whether the 13th national parliamentary election would be held on schedule have now been dispelled. The events of last Thursday (Tarique Rahman’s return home) have erased the scepticism of critics about whether the election scheduled for 12 February would take place. A record-breaking crowd gathered to welcome BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman. This was clear evidence of the country’s readiness for an election.”

It is understood that the BNP is also well advanced in formulating its electoral strategy. The party has allocated seats to its allies who jointly participated in the movement. Several leaders from other parties have already joined the BNP and have been given seats as well. Moreover, despite having multiple qualified candidates in each constituency, the BNP has nominated only one candidate per seat. Although this caused some dissatisfaction among certain leaders, much of it has subsided since Tarique Rahman’s return. It is believed that no party leader will act against his directives, and that everyone will ultimately work together in support of the Sheaf of Paddy.

The BNP has also placed strong emphasis on improving relations with various countries. Several friendly states have long supported the party and are providing full cooperation. The BNP has consistently sought to maintain good relations with neighbouring countries, including India, and is continuing the same policy. As a result, in meeting the challenge of improving diplomatic relations, the BNP is ahead of other parties.

Moazzem Hossain Alal, a member of the BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council, said: “There was a political vacuum in the country for a long time, and Tarique Rahman’s return has filled it. He possesses the qualities required to be accountable to the people. Circumstances kept him in London for nearly a decade and a half, during which his political maturity increased. Even from abroad, he was able to keep the party united and remained in contact with everyone. In short, Tarique Rahman has all the qualities required of a leader. In the days ahead, democracy will be restored through him.”

Another member of the BNP Chairperson’s Advisory Council, Dr Farhad Halim Donar, said: “The people of this country had not seen Tarique Rahman for a long time. Since his return, leaders and activists have become more active, because everyone now understands that without working for the party and the country, survival is not possible. Tarique Rahman has said he has a plan, and he has spoken of various plans before, which people have received very positively. He wants to work with everyone. If everyone works together now, all challenges can be overcome.”

BP/SP