Dhaka, Dec 25— Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday appealed for unity and restraint, calling on citizens across political and religious lines to help maintain law and order, hours after returning to the country following 17 years in exile.
“Whatever political party we belong to, whatever religion we believe in, whether we are non-partisan individuals — all must join hands to maintain law and order,” Rahman told thousands of supporters gathered along the July 36 Expressway in the capital after his arrival from abroad.
His remarks came as Bangladesh faces renewed political turbulence following the killing of youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in last year’s mass protests that led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina-led government.
Rahman, 60, the son of ailing former prime minister Khaleda Zia, positioned himself as a national leader focused on stability and inclusion, promising a vision he said would benefit all citizens.
“I have a plan for the people of my country and for my country,” Rahman said, invoking a reference to U.S. civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., according to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. “This plan is for the interest of the people, for the development of the country, for changing the lot of the country.”
“To implement the plan, I need the support of all the people of the country,” he added. “If you stand beside us, God willing, we will be able to implement my plan.”
Rahman said his goal was to build a country where safety and dignity were guaranteed regardless of identity.
“We have people from the hills and the plains — Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians,” he said. “We want to build a safe Bangladesh, where every woman, man and child can leave home safely and return safely.”
He also asked supporters to pray for his mother, Khaleda Zia, whom he planned to visit later in the day at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka. Zia, a three-time prime minister, is being treated in the hospital’s intensive care unit.
Rahman’s return marks a major moment for the BNP as the country prepares for elections scheduled in February.
