District and metropolitan city unit leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its affiliated organisations on Saturday placed a series of demands before the government, including action against corruption, expansion of social safety net programmes, improvement in transport infrastructure and clearer energy policies,
They placed the demands to prime minister Tarique Rahman during a meeting with him in the capital.
The issues were discussed at a view-exchange meeting between among the prime minister, other ministers and grassroots leaders of the BNP and its associate bodies -- Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal -- at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh auditorium in the capital.
Participants said that the meeting focused on accountability, with ministers directly answering questions from district and metropolitan city-level leaders of the party and its affiliated organisations on government policies, election pledges, and public welfare programmes.
Party leaders said that the programme focused on the government’s activities over the past two and a half months, including progress in implementing the BNP’s election manifesto, public welfare initiatives, developments surrounding the July Charter and responses to propaganda against the government.
Under the programme, ministers had initially been scheduled to speak for 10 to 15 minutes on measures taken by their respective ministries.
However, several ministers spoke for more than half an hour before facing direct questions from grassroots leaders.
Organisers said that eight-nine leaders questioned each minister on ministry-related policies, implementation challenges, and local demands.
Among those who addressed the meeting were ministers responsible for local government minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, home minister Salahuddin Ahmed, power and energy minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku, social welfare minister AZM Zahid, law minister Md Asaduzzaman, education minister Ehsanul Haque Milon and road transport and bridges minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam.
Grassroots leaders raised questions about irregularities and corruption during the previous Awami League administration.
They alleged that individuals who had occupied several offices and recruited employees in exchange for money during the previous regime were still serving in those institutions.
Leaders also questioned why individuals linked to the widely discussed ‘curtain scandal’ and ‘pillow scandal’ had not faced action.
Infrastructure development featured prominently during the discussions, with local leaders demanding the expansion of major roads, such as from two lanes to four lanes, and an increase in local train services.
The meeting also discussed the government’s agriculture and family card programmes. Grassroots leaders praised the initiatives, saying that assistance was being distributed systematically without considering political or social affiliations.
However, they urged the government to expand the programmes rapidly across the country.
In response, ministers said the initiatives would be implemented gradually because of financial limitations inherited from what they described as a fragile economy.
Power and energy policies were also discussed extensively. The energy minister defended recent fuel price increases, saying that the government had delayed adjustments to avoid sharp rises in transport fares and commodity prices.
The meeting also addressed political recognition of long-suffering party activists.
Prime minister Tarique Rahman told leaders that activists who endured repression under the previous regime would be politically evaluated, but they should not expect personal favours, government appointments or business opportunities outside established rules and regulations.
He said that the BNP would not repeat practices associated with previous governments and stressed that no one, regardless of political sacrifice, would receive unlawful advantages.
The prime minister also referred to personal experiences of political persecution, saying that even after the political changeover he had not sought reinstatement of his wife’s lost employment and benefits despite suggestions from others.
Tarique told party activists that politics required sacrifice and commitment to democracy and public welfare rather than personal gain.
He urged leaders to prepare for future local government elections while remaining united, but said that electoral success could not be guaranteed through political influence.
Tarique said that party reorganisation was a continuous and democratic process, adding that the BNP intended to complete national and organisational councils within the year after a decade-long gap.
Leaders and activists across the country were instructed to organise public awareness campaigns, courtyard meetings, rallies, leaflet distribution and processions to highlight government initiatives and counter misinformation by opposition parties.
The prime minister also instructed party leaders to maintain zero tolerance of drugs and criminal activities in their localities, warning that no activist would be spared if allegations of wrongdoing emerged against them, regardless of their political contributions.
