Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday said that an opportunity had come to establish the fundamental rights of all national minority groups in a fascist-free country.
鈥楾herefore, BNP is determined to build a safe Bangladesh with all national minority groups,鈥� he said this while speaking as chief guest virtually at the national representative conference of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Kshudra Jatigoshti Dal at Tareque Memorial Auditorium in Mymensingh Town Hall in the city.
He said that despite ignoring attacks and persecution during the dictatorial period, people of minority groups played a significant role in the movement to establish democratic political rights against fascism.
Currently, an opportunity has come to establish the civil rights of every person in a dictatorship-free Bangladesh, he said.
Tarique said that the interim government had already announced the outline of the election with the aim of holding national elections next February.
He said that if voted to power, the BNP will create employment in the country, ensure a working environment and establish a safe Bangladesh for all regardless of party, opinion, religion and caste by implementing all the announced plans.
The BNP acting chairman sought support, cooperation and vote from the minority groups in the next general election.聽
He recalled that around 1976-77, Ziaur Rahman had exchanged views with the people of the national minority groups of the greater Mymensingh region several times.
At that time, he had established the Birishiri Culture Academy with the aim of improving the living standards of the groups in greater Mymensingh and developing cultural practices, he said.
He also took various initiatives, including forming a welfare association for the Garo community, launching the 鈥楽al Geeta鈥� programme on the radio, building student hostels, special recruitments in government jobs and creating opportunities for higher education.
Through this, Zia鈥檚 close relationship with the minority groups living in the plains was established, which was still remembered in Mymensingh today, he mentioned.
Addressing the national minority groups, Tarique Rahman said,鈥橧t is important to take the opportunity to acquire education, employment and work skills at any cost.鈥�
鈥榃e must also be active in practicing and implementing our democratic political rights. Along with achieving education, we must enjoy opportunities and benefits together and become aware of state and politics,鈥� he said.
With this goal in mind, with the special interest of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, an initiative was taken to organise the national minority groups socially and politically, he said.
In continuation of this, on September 7, 2014, the organisational activities of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Khudro Jatigoshti Dal began as a temporary associate organization of BNP, he recalled.
Today鈥檚 representative conference is a reflection of that, he said.
鈥業t is important to ensure the democratic rights, self-reliance and prosperity of ourselves and the future generations as citizens of Bangladesh while keeping the cultural activity and faith of the minority community intact,鈥� said Tarique Rahman.
One of the most important responsibilities of the leadership is to reach out to each ethnic group about the educational and developmental activities undertaken by the government or state and to keep them aware, he said.
If every community living in the hills or plains is aware of its own and the country鈥檚 interests, no evil force will get a chance to create confusion, he said.
Tarique Rahman said that the number of small ethnic groups living in the plains and hills of the country is about fifty.
Of these, 37 national minority communities mainly live in 42 districts of 6 divisions in the plains, he said, adding that there were several more minority communities in the hills.
In this way, the beloved motherland Bangladesh is a country of people of many races, many languages and many cultures, he said.
Speaking as special guest at the conference, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that today was a happy day because the minority groups had come together in the light of the philosophy of nationalism that Ziaur Rahman presented to the nation.
They want to be included in developmental work, he said.
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Khudro Jatigoshti Dal president Mrigen Hagidok chaired the event.
About 1,000 representatives of various national minority groups from 12 districts of the plains region of the country participated in the conference.
