Tarique Rahman calls to vote ‘Yes’ in respect of July Charter

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tarique Rahman has called on voters to cast a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum in respect of the July Charter, alongside voting for the paddy sheaf symbol in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election.

He further said that BNP has not hidden anything regarding reforms.

After launching election campaigning from Sylhet on 22 January, Tarique Rahman, for the first time, called for a ‘Yes’ vote at a public election rally in Rangpur today, Friday.

Speaking at the public rally held at the Central Eidgah ground in Rangpur, Tarique Rahman said, “You will surely remember that about two and a half years ago, when the autocracy sat on the shoulders of the people of this country, BNP presented reform proposals before the people of the country. 31-point reform proposals.”

Stating that BNP has not concealed anything regarding reforms, Tarique Rahman said, “What did we see later? When the current interim government came to power, it formed reform commissions and invited almost all political parties in Bangladesh to participate. We also went. There, we presented our reform proposals. Broadly speaking, the reform proposals we put forward—those which we had presented before the people much earlier—are more or less what they also proposed. There may be differences of opinion with us on some points. But where there is disagreement with us, we have not hidden it. We have openly told the people which points we agree with and which points we disagree with.”

Calling for a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum, Tarique Rahman said that Abu Sayed sacrificed his life to restore rights, Wasim in Chattogram sacrificed his life as well, and thousands of others sacrificed their lives to establish people’s voting rights, freedom of speech, and economic rights.

He said, “To honour their sacrifices, we must also respect the July Charter that we signed. That is why I request all of you that just as you will stamp the paddy sheaf symbol on 12 February, at the same time, on the second ballot paper that you will be given with ‘Yes’ and ‘No’, please give your verdict in favour of ‘Yes’.”

Present on the stage at the time were BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, BNP standing committee member AZM Zahid Hossain, BNP Rangpur divisional organising secretary Asadul Habib Dulu, along with leaders from various levels of the party.

The meeting was presided over by Rangpur city BNP Convener and BNP candidate for Rangpur-3 constituency, Shamsuzzaman Samu.

After the rally, Tarique Rahman introduced BNP and BNP-supported alliance candidates contesting in different constituencies of the Rangpur division. He called on everyone to vote for these candidates using the sheaf of paddy symbol and ensure their victory.

Before the rally, at around 6:00 pm on Friday evening, Tarique Rahman arrived by road in Bamanpur village of Pirganj, Rangpur, from Bogura.

He then visited the grave of Abu Sayed, who was martyred in the anti-discrimination student movement. Later, he went to Abu Sayed’s home and spoke with his father Makbul Hossain, mother Monowara Begum, elder brother Ramzan Ali, Abu Hossain, and other family members.

At around 6:20 pm, Tarique Rahman departed from Abu Sayed’s home for Rangpur to join the election rally of the Rangpur division.