Tarique Rahman urges voters to stay vigilant until ballot counting completion

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tarique Rahman has alleged that a group is conspiring to obstruct the election and urged voters to remain vigilant.

He further said that casting a vote alone is not enough; voters must stay at polling centres after voting and ensure that their votes are properly accounted for.

Tarique Rahman made the remarks while addressing an election rally in Hatia, Noakhali, as the chief guest on Monday afternoon.

He joined the rally virtually. BNP parliamentary candidate for Hatia (Noakhali-6) is Mahabuber Rahman Shamim.

Referring to the past 15–16 years, Tarique Rahman said people had effectively been denied the right to vote.

“The people of this country were stripped of their voting rights. Their freedom of expression was taken away. Those responsible for this have fled the country. But another group is now hatching fresh conspiracies to disrupt the election. You (voters) must remain alert about it,” he said.

The BNP chairman called on Muslim voters to attend Tahajjud prayers in the small hours of the polling day and then offer Fajr prayers in congregation in front of their respective polling centres at dawn.

“Take brothers and sisters from other faiths with you so that everyone can queue up at the polling centres early in the morning and cast your votes properly,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of safeguarding votes, he said, “It is not enough just to vote and leave. After voting, you must stay there. You must ensure that the vote you cast is counted accurately, down to the last detail. Can you do that?”

During his speech, a local resident highlighted several key problems faced by Hatia residents, particularly river erosion, which continues to devastate livelihoods.

The speaker called for block revetments and embankments to prevent erosion and demanded land allocation for landless people on newly emerged chars.

Responding, Tarique Rahman displayed a sheet of paper on which he said long-standing demands of Hatia residents had already been noted, including those raised at the rally.

He said the list included measures to prevent river erosion through block revetments, construction of embankments, allocation of khas land for the landless, and upgrading the upazila health complex to a 150-bed facility.

“If BNP forms the government, these problems will be addressed gradually, one by one,” he said.

Calling for electoral support, Tarique Rahman said, “People here have seen many representatives before, but they failed to solve your problems. If the BNP is elected this time, we will move forward with solutions step by step…. But you have a responsibility. What is that responsibility? To ensure the victory of the sheaf of paddy. When will you do that? On polling day, the 12th.”

Urging voters to elect BNP candidate Mahabuber Rahman, Tarique Rahman said the area faces serious challenges related to safe drinking water, education, healthcare and agriculture.

“A genuinely committed representative is required to solve these problems . If Shamim is elected and BNP forms the government, development will follow and people’s problems will be addressed,” he said.

Outlining BNP’s policy plans, he said a BNP government would introduce a “family card” programme for women, providing monthly assistance to help educated women gradually achieve self-reliance. For farmers, an “agriculture card” would ensure fertiliser, seeds and inputs, guaranteeing full support for at least one farming season each year.

He added that vocational training institutes would be established for youth, alongside access to microcredit and employment opportunities.

BNP also plans to expand hospitals and introduce healthcare assistants to deliver services door to door, he said.