The era of slogan-based politics is over, as people now want real change -- beyond mere promises, said Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chair Tarique Rahman on Tuesday.
Speaking at a discussion titled 鈥楨xpectations of the Youth and the BNP鈥檚 Plans for Bangladesh of Tomorrow鈥� held on International Youth Day, Tarique outlined the party鈥檚 political goal of preparing young people for a technology-driven present and future.
He said that the BNP鈥檚 core political mission for the future was to create employment opportunities for the unemployed and the working population.
Tarique assured that if the BNP were given the opportunity to govern, they would implement the plan gradually to improve the people鈥檚 living standards.
He said that the success of the plan would require the party to have wholehearted public support.
Tarique called on all sections of society, including women, men, students, and youth, to vote for the BNP鈥檚 election symbol -- the sheaf of paddy -- in the upcoming national election scheduled for February, as announced by the interim government and the Election Commission.
He urged the people to seize this chance to build the nation together, reinforcing that voting for the sheaf of paddy would help develop the country in unity.
The event was organised jointly by Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal, and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Agargaon, Dhaka.
BNP acting chair conveyed his belief that with courage and integrity, the younger generation could greatly enhance the country鈥檚 prospects for prosperity.
He said that more than half of Bangladesh鈥檚 population falls within the working age group 鈥� resulting in a demographic dividend that, if harnessed effectively, has the potential to propel the nation鈥檚 development.
Tarique Rahman said that alongside technical training, the party planned to nurture sporting talents by incorporating sports as a formal subject in the education curriculum.
He said that they intended to recognise promising athletes and promote sports as a professional career, emphasising that this initiative would also complement cultural development efforts to ensure the holistic empowerment of the youth.
Tarique reiterated that the BNP鈥檚 political goal was to nurture a generation of technologically skilled youths capable of thriving in the modern world.
He highlighted the party鈥檚 focus on ensuring that the youth can effectively engage in science, technology, and technical education as essential tools for survival and success.
Tarique said that employment generation and entrepreneurship were key components of the BNP鈥檚 agenda.
He explained that their plans involved identifying emerging sectors, setting up high-tech parks and incubation centres for startups, and offering financial support to youth-led technology projects that would create jobs.
Tarique also mentioned that the party aimed to simplify access to international payment systems for freelancers.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal president Abdul Monayem Munna, Swechchhasebak Dal president SM Jilani, among others, spoke at the event.
