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MYMENSINGH, Aug 30, 2025 (BSS) – Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today said an opportunity has come to establish the fundamental rights of all ethnic groups in a fascist-free country.
“Therefore, BNP is determined to build a safe Bangladesh with all ethnic groups,” he said this while speaking as the chief guest virtually at the national representative conference of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Khudro Jatigoshti Dal at Tareque Memorial Auditorium of the Town Hall in the city.
He said that despite ignoring attacks and persecution during the dictatorial period, people of minority ethnic groups played a significant role in the movement to establish democratic political rights against fascism.
Currently, an opportunity has come to establish the civil rights of every person in a dictatorship-free Bangladesh, he said.
Tarique said the interim government has already announced the outline of the election with the aim of holding national elections next February.
He said if voted to power, BNP will create employment in the country, ensure a working environment and establish a safe Bangladesh for all regardless of party, opinion, religion, caste and tribe by implementing all the announced plans.
The BNP acting chairman sought support, cooperation and vote from the minority ethnic groups in the next general election.
He recalled that around 1976-77, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman had exchanged views with the people of the small ethnic groups of the greater Mymensingh region several times.
At that time, he had established the Birishiri Culture Academy with the aim of improving the living standards of the small ethnic groups in greater Mymensingh and developing cultural practices, he said.
He also took various initiatives including forming a Tribal Welfare Association for the Garo community, launching the 'Sal Geeta' program on the radio, building student hostels, special recruitments in government jobs and creating opportunities for higher education.
Through this, Shaheed Zia's close relationship with the small ethnic groups living in the plains was established, which is still remembered in Mymensingh today, he mentioned.
Addressing the minority ethnic groups, Tarique Rahman said, it is important to take the opportunity to acquire education, employment and work skills at any cost.
“We must also be active in practicing and implementing our democratic political rights. Along with achieving education, we must enjoy opportunities and benefits together and become aware of state and politics,” he said.
With this goal in mind, with the special interest of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, an initiative was taken to organize the minority ethnic groups socially and politically, he said.
In continuation of this, on September 7, 2014, the organizational activities of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Khudro Jatigoshti Dal began as a temporary associate organization of BNP, he recalled.
Today's representative conference is a reflection of that, he said.
“It is important to ensure the democratic rights, self-reliance and prosperity of ourselves and the future generations as citizens of Bangladesh while keeping the cultural activity and faith of the minority community intact,” said Tarique Rahman.
One of the most important responsibilities of the leadership is to reach out to each ethnic group about the educational and developmental activities undertaken by the government or state and to keep them aware, he said.
If every community living in the hills or plains is aware of its own and the country's interests, no evil force will get a chance to create confusion, he said.
Tarique Rahman said that the number of small ethnic groups living in the plains and hills of the country is about fifty.
Of these, 37 small communities mainly live in 42 districts of 6 divisions in the plains; he said adding there are several more small communities in the hills.
In this way, the beloved motherland Bangladesh is a country of people of many races, many languages ??and many cultures, he said.
He said after independence, the attempt to make everyone 'Bangali' created distrust in the minds of the small community.
However, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman was able to remove that trouble through the philosophy of Bangladeshi nationalism, he said.
“BNP's view is that no matter what language, tribe, religion or ideology, our first identity is that we are Bangladeshis. No matter where we live - mountains, plains, cities, ports or remote villages - every citizen of the state has equal rights,” he said.
Tarique Rahman said BNP has plans to protect the rights of small ethnic groups, take initiatives to protect language, culture and social values, include qualified representatives in the party structure, form cultural research institutions, give status to the Tribal Welfare Association as a trust, create opportunities for foreign technical education and training, and provide loan facilities to women entrepreneurs.
He said that the recruitment process for small communities living in the plains in government jobs is more complicated than in the hilly regions.
The process of collecting certificates is difficult and time-consuming; he said adding BNP will take initiatives to simplify this process if it gets the responsibility of running the state.
Speaking as a special guest at the conference, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said that today is a happy day because the small ethnic groups have come together today in the light of the philosophy of nationalism that Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman presented to the nation.
They want to be included in developmental work, he said.
“After the long reign of oppression by the monstrous fascist government, we got the opportunity to build a new Bangladesh through a Mass Uprising. In this Bangladesh, equal rights of all citizens will be established. My leader and our madam always say - no word like 'minority' can be used, we are all Bangladeshis, our rights are equal,” he said.
Mirza Fakhrul further said in the past, it was not always possible to do justice.
“However, we believe that the 31 points formulated under the leadership of Tarique Rahman are the key to the future politics of Bangladesh. This includes the idea of Rainbow Bangladesh. We want to build a true Rainbow State by including small ethnic groups,” he said.
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Khudro Jatigoshti Dal President Mrigen Hagidok chaired the event while BNP Vice Chairman Advocate Ahmed Azam Khan, Chairperson's Advisor Bijan Kanti Sarkar, Joint Secretary General Syed Emran Saleh Prince, Assistant Organizing Secretary Abu Wahab Akand, Mymensingh Metropolitan BNP Convener Professor AKM Shafiqul Islam, North District Convener Professor AKM Enayet Ullah, South District Convener Zakir Hossain Bablu, Member Secretary Rokonuzzaman Sarkar Rokon, Bangladesh Adivasi Forum General Secretary Sanjeeb Drong, freedom fighter Pramod Chandra Barman joined the event.
About 1,000 representatives of various minority ethnic groups from 12 districts of the plains region of the country participated in the conference.
