A Correspondent:
Bogura: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said overwhelming victory of BNP in the last general election the people of Bangladesh has established the voting rights of people and secured freedom of speech from which were not practiced for 17 years.
He made the remark while addressing a public rally organized by the BNP Bogura District unit at Alta-funnesa ground here yesterday.
“In the February 12 general election, the countrymen exercised their voting rights, which had been denied for many years,” he said.
Through their votes, the people of Bangladesh delivered their verdict and entrusted BNP with the respon-sibility of governing the country for the next five years, he added.
When the prime minister arrived on the stage around 5:45 PM, thousands of supporters greeted him with loud applause. The smiling prime minister waved in response.
Tarique Rahman said the people of this country were deprived of freedom of speech. There was no politi-cal freedom of the people, he added.
“We have seen how people were deceived in the name of development, and how looting took place under the guise of development. However, we have begun step by step to implement all promises we made be-fore the election,” he said.
“Before the election, we told the people how we will run the country. Yesterday, in Gabtoli of Bogura, we have distributed Family Card. We promised that if BNP could form the government, we would introduce Family Card to empower mothers of this country. We have started fulfilling that promise right after form-ing the government,” said the premier.
Tarique Rahman added, “Not only that, standing on this very stage, I said that if BNP comes to power, we will stand by our farmers. To keep our promise we have started delivering Farmer Card to the peasants and fishermen.”
Highlighting waiving agricultural loans up to Taka 10,000 with interest the Prime Minister said BNP government completed that task within the first 10 days after assuming office. A total of 12 lakh farmers will enjoy the benefit, he said.
Meanwhile, even before the rally began, party leaders and activists started arriving at Altafunnesa ground in small processions.
By 3 PM, the entire venue turned into a human sea. The surrounding roads were also filled with a large number of people including party leaders and workers.
