Bangladesh Nationalist Party chair Tarique Rahman on Saturday called on the voters to support the party’s election symbol, sheaf of paddy, saying that it was essential to make the country’s hard-earned independence truly meaningful for its citizens.

He said that political parties should clearly set out plans to take Bangladesh forward.

Addressing an election rally at the BSCIC Industrial Park field in Sirajganj, the BNP chief said that Bangladesh had achieved independence in 1971 and had defended that independence again in 2024.

The next task, he said, is to translate the independence into tangible benefits for the citizens.

Tarique went on to say, ‘People place their trust only in those who have been tested in the past and are genuinely trustworthy.’

At a separate rally in Tangail, Tarique warned that  certain quarters were plotting to obstruct the election and urged the public to remain vigilant in this regard.

In the Sirajganj rally, the BNP chair told supporters that the people now wanted to see which political party had credible plans for the country and its future.

Tarique claimed the BNP had already placed its plans before the public, claiming that it was the only party with the experience needed to govern the country effectively.

People, he said, place their trust in those who have proven experience and who did not abandon them during times of crisis, the qualities that, he asserted, were found only in the BNP.

Referring to the sacrifices made over the past 16 years, Tarique called on the voters to be vocal on February 12.

‘Casting votes for the BNP’s election symbol, sheaf of paddy, would be a response to those had taken away the people’s rights,’ he further said.

If the BNP won on the February12 election, he said, the party would begin its work to rebuild the country from the following day.

He stressed the need for unity among the country’s 20 crore of people to take Bangladesh forward, warning against any conspiracy to deprive the citizens again of their voting rights.

The BNP’s sole pledge is to restore the political rights of the people and to build a Bangladesh envisioned by the martyrs, where the citizens can move freely and live safely, and where men and women can sleep securely in their homes at night, he said.

Emphasising accountability, Tarique said only a people’s government could address the country’s real problems.

Highlighting the country’s northern region’s dependence on agriculture, he said that a future BNP government would develop agriculture-based industries from Thakurgaon to Panchagarh to Sirajganj to create jobs for youths, women, and workers.

He also spoke of reviving the handloom sector, especially in Sirajganj and Pabna, saying that the BNP aimed to export locally produced handloom products to global markets.

Tarique said that if the BNP formed government it would work to make women economically self-reliant and would distribute family cards to households.

He also promised afresh that the farmer card scheme would ensure that fertiliser, pesticides, and seeds would directly reach farmers, preventing the middlemen from exploiting them.

REgarding youth employment, he said that IT professionals in Sirajganj and Pabna would be given specialised training.

Tarique also pledged to establish vocational and training centres in the two districts for those seeking overseas employment.

He said that the party wanted to extend state support to religious leaders, including imams, khatibs, muezzins, and leaders of other faiths, by introducing a monthly honourarium.

Tarique cautioned supporters to stay vigilant against efforts to mislead voters, claiming that those spreading confusion had been absent over the past 16 years and were linked to those who had fled the country on  August 5, 2024.

In Tangail, the BNP chair alleged that activists of a certain party were targeting women to collect their NID numbers and bKash details in order to mislead the public.

He called on all the families to stay alert collectively to ensure that only eligible voters cast their ballots at the local polling stations.

Highlighting Tangail’s economic potential, Tarique said that the Tangail region was historically significant and that Tangail sarees were renowned for its variety of colours and designs.

With a planned effort, he said, these saris could be exported abroad the same way as Bangladesh’s garments.

Tarique said that the prayer caps made in Tangail, which were already exported to many countries, could generate employment for many more people if the right initiatives were taken.

He also outlined broader development plans, including a barrage on the Jamuna River, establishing textile factories, pineapple processing units, and boosting the jute industry, aiming to transform Tangail into a planned industrial city.