Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today said the present government has begun implementing programmes aimed at improving the living standards of people across all strata of society.

In a message to the nation on the eve of Pohela Baishakh, the first day of the Bengali New Year, he said, “After assuming office, the present government has started implementing different programmes of quality development for the cross section people in the society.”

Referring to the end of what he termed a “fascist regime” of one and a half decades, Tarique said the new democratic government began its journey following the BNP’s landslide victory in the February 12 national polls.

As part of BNP's electoral pledges, he highlighted initiatives including distribution of family cards, sports cards, canal excavation programmes, and financial support for imams, muezzins, khatibs, and other religious leaders.

He announced that the Farmers’ Card programme will be launched on Pohela Baishakh, describing it as vital for the agricultural economy.

Welcoming Bengali New Year 1433, the prime minister greeted Bengali‑speaking people worldwide, calling Pohela Baishakh a unique symbol of ethnicity and culture.

He said the festival inspires renewal, leaving behind “old decay and gloom.”

Tarique emphasised the deep connection between Pohela Baishakh and agriculture, noting that farmers traditionally align crop production with natural cycles. He said the arrival of the New Year revitalises folk culture, traditions, and values, upheld through events like Baishakhi mela, Shobhajatra, and Halkhata.

Expressing his pledge to pursue people’s welfare, the PM said the inherent tolerance, generosity, and harmony of Bangladesh’s diverse cultural and religious communities would strengthen democracy and fortify coexistence of multiple opinions.