DHAKA, Aug 31, 2025 (BSS) - Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman today said the main goal of his party is to protect the independence and sovereignty of the country and re-establish the trend of multi-party democracy, along with alleviating the suffering of the people through realizing their rights.

Tarique Rahman said this in a message on his verified Facebook page today on the eve of the BNP's founding anniversary.

He extended his heartfelt greetings and congratulations to the leaders, activists of all levels of the party, well-wishers and countrymen on the occasion of the 47th founding anniversary of BNP.

Tarique Rahman said the great independence proclaimer Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman established the BNP on September 1, 1978, with the aim of uniting the people with nationalist ideals. 

“The day is a day of joy, enthusiasm and inspiration for the Bangladeshi people. The party is committed to the policy of complete independence of Bangladeshi territory and protection of strong sovereignty and making multi-party democracy permanent,” he said.

The BNP acting chairman said immediately after independence, democracy was killed by establishing a one-party system to perpetuate power. 

Chaos, violence and political assassinations became common in the Awami regime after independence, he said. 

The inevitable result of which was a terrible famine, and one million people died in this famine, he said adding the then Awami ruling class established the BAKSAL and institutionalized dictatorship and curtailed the independence of the judiciary and the press.

Tarique Rahman said Ziaur Rahman, after coming to power, revived multi-party democracy in Bangladesh and ensured the civil liberties of the people. 

BNP fulfilled its historic responsibility for the prosperity and welfare of the country and its people by assuming power in fair elections several times in the past 47 years, he said.

He paid his deepest respect to Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam, the great proclaimer of independence, successful statesman and architect of modern Bangladesh.

Tarique Rahman said despite various far-reaching conspiracies, the BNP is playing the role of a vigilant guard to protect the country's independence and sovereignty.

Numerous leaders and activists have sacrificed their lives without hesitation to bring back the exiled democracy, he said.

The uncompromising role of the BNP in the 9-year anti-military dictatorship movement in the 1980s under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia is a bright chapter in history, he said, adding that democracy was restored because of her pioneering role.

In order to strengthen and institutionalize democracy in Bangladesh, BNP has reintroduced parliamentary democracy through constitutional amendments while being elected in 1991, he said. 

BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the symbol of democracy, led this, he said. 

Tarique Rahman said overall, BNP has become the most popular political party today for repeatedly restoring democracy in Bangladesh and playing a leading role in the country's development and progress, including its practice and development. 

BNP has been able to achieve historical successes because of its survival in all critical times of the nation.

“The ideological basis of the BNP is liberalism. The party's social commitment and economic policy are inspired by liberal politics. Every time BNP has come to power, it has expanded the social safety net,” he said.

He said massive initiatives were taken to make the backward sections of the country and women economically self-reliant, including the empowerment of them. 

In that case, epoch-making progress was made in education, health, agriculture, industry and business sectors, including bank loans, foreign employment, and remittance flow and so on.

The domestic economy began to stand on a solid foundation, he said.

As a result of the BNP government's enthusiasm and initiative for democracy and economic prosperity, famine didn’t touch the country again, he said, adding people were becoming able to overcome financial difficulties.

He said BNP will play a strong role in the coming days by dedicating themselves to the service of the motherland while keeping the trust and faith of the people intact.

Tarique Rahman also paid his deepest respect to all the party leaders and activists who have passed away since the inception of BNP and to those who lost their lives in the scourge of Awami fascism for a decade and a half and in the blood-stained mass-uprising of the students and masses last year.

He said true democracy has not yet been established. 

The democratic rights of the people will be established only if the rule of law, freedom of expression, independence of the press and judiciary can be ensured, he said, adding for this, an accountable government elected by the people is very important.

“The sacrifice of the martyrs in the mass uprising to restore democracy for the past decade and a half will be worthwhile if we can ensure free and fair elections, good governance and justice. Let this be our pledge on the auspicious occasion of the founding anniversary of BNP,” he said.  

“Let there never be a repetition of heinous horrors like disappearances, assassinations, extrajudicial killings, demonization of women and children, terrorism, extortion, corruption, money laundering across the country,” he added.

He said the newly emerging mob culture must be put to an end because it is a violent behavior outside the law, which creates fear and panic in the minds of the people.