Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today urged all to join hands in building a “beautiful Bangladesh,” stressing the importance of collective national effort.

Speaking as the chief guest at the Farmers' Card inauguration programme at Shaheed Maruf Stadium in Tangail, he outlined the government’s vision for the country’s safety, prosperity and self-reliance.

The Farmers' Card, launched in its first phase, is being distributed to around 21,000 landless, marginal, and small farmers in 11 upazilas across 10 districts.

The prime minister said the initiative aims to make farmers self-reliant and well-off, adding that the government will gradually deliver the card to 2.75 crore farmers within the next five years.

Tarique highlighted that the government has already fulfilled its election pledge to waive agricultural loans up to Tk 10,000, benefiting 1.2 million farmers.

"If we look at all the reviews, we will see that in Bangladesh, whenever BNP got the chance to run the country, BNP tried to stand beside the farmers. You trusted BNP in the last election. This government will give full respect to that trust,” he said.

He also announced plans to dig 20,000 kilometres of canals over five years to improve irrigation, manage floodwater, and restore groundwater levels depleted by prolonged use of deep tube wells.

The prime minister said the government would support farmers in agriculture-based areas, including the northern region, by promoting agro-based industries and addressing business constraints so that investment, processing and exports increase, helping farmers get better prices, and surge in flow of foreign currency into the country.

He stressed the importance of women’s empowerment, noting that the Family Card pilot project for women heads of households has already begun.

He said the government aims to stand beside farmers, women, imams, religious leaders, students, and professionals from all walks of life.

“Our goal is the development of the country. Our goal is to change the fate of the people. That is why we say, we will work, we will build the country, Bangladesh first,” the prime minister declared.