Dhaka, December 25 - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting president Tarique Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh after 17 years of exile in London, said in his first speech on Thursday that he has a plan for the country and that it belongs to people of all religions.
Mr. Rahman returned to Bangladesh on Thursday morning and attended a rally in the Purbachal area of Dhaka. Thousands of BNP supporters participated in the rally, which caused him to take a journey of over three hours to reach the central venue. As soon as the bus carrying Mr. Rahman reached the stage, the crowd began chanting "Tarique Zia!" His security was ensured by thousands of security personnel, and he was transported in a bulletproof vehicle.
Security forces surrounded the bus carrying Mr. Rahman and slowly escorted it to the stage. The vehicle was moving at a very slow pace due to the large crowd of party leaders and activists. As Mr. Rahman stepped out of the bus and approached the stage, personnel from the Border Guard Bangladesh and the army formed a cordon around him, helping him move forward.
Upon reaching the stage, Mr. Rahman first expressed his gratitude to Allah for returning to his homeland. He said, "American civil rights activist Martin Luther King said in a speech, 'I have a dream.' Similarly, I want to say that I have a plan for Bangladesh."
As soon as Mr. Rahman began his speech, the crowd of hundreds of thousands of supporters erupted in applause. Local media quoted Mr. Rahman as saying that Bangladesh is a country of Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians. His party wants to build a secure Bangladesh, the kind of Bangladesh that is every mother's dream - a Bangladesh where women, men, and children can safely return to their homes after leaving them.
He said that the people of Bangladesh have democratic aspirations, and everyone's cooperation is needed to establish democracy in the country. He stated that today, along with BNP, the top leaders of like-minded political parties are present on this platform. He said that he wants to work together with party leaders and activists, like-minded parties, and fellow citizens to build a better and more peaceful Bangladesh.
Notably, when Mr. Rahman returned home this morning, a crowd of over 100,000 people had gathered at the airport to welcome him. Supporters and activists took to the streets, waving BNP flags and banners, and enthusiastically welcomed Mr. Rahman. His wife, Zubaida Rahman, and daughter, Zaima Rahman, were also present. Mr. Rahman thanked Chief Adviser Mr. Muhammad Yunus for the security arrangements made for him and his family upon their arrival in Bangladesh. He landed at Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport at 11:41 am.