BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday unveiled the party’s “Vision 2030 Plan” aiming at turning the country into higher mid-income country by this time with the increase of per capita income by $5,000 from the present $1316.
She said the party also wants to the country into a “rainbow nation” by forging unity among the people of different views and opinions.
“We want to nurture and establish such a political culture, which will create a vibrant pluralistic society by giving space for all opinions and beliefs so that Bangladesh turns into a rainbow nation through unity and diversity,” she said while inaugurating the sixth national council of the party at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the city.
She said they have already prepared a draft of plan of action titled Vision 2030 Plan and it will soon be public after finalising it.
The BNP chief revealed the party’s Vision 2030 Plan, some seven years after the Awami League unveiled its “Vision 2021 Plan” to turn the country into a middle-income state and later extended it by 2041 to turn the country into a developed one.
She also indicated that Vision-2030 will be adopted in the future election manifesto of her party. “The BNP wants to introduce new trend of politics, against the hostile political path being followed at present,” she said
The former premier reiterated her call to the government to initiate a dialogue as soon as possible for holding a free, fair and peaceful national election be participated by all.
“We want to come to a solution through talks as to how a free, fair and peaceful election can be held amid participation of all. Then, there will be no conflict and violence and no need for movement…I call upon them again for a dialogue,” she said.
Khaleda said her party would take necessary measures to create bicameral parliament with country’s experienced professionals, educationalists, intellectuals in the upper chamber of parliament.
She said her party wants to create a balance in the power of prime minister to end the autocratic rule imbued with the executive power what she said in disguise of parliamentary government.
“In recent years, people felt it quite well that the absolute executive authority of the prime minister has given rise to a despotic and authoritarian rule. We want to bring a balance in the executive authority of the state by enacting necessary constitutional amendment, she said.
In her written statement, she said the BNP wants to combine three Gs, which are—good politics, good governance and good government.
The BNP chief said they would take initiative to elevate the country’s economic growth to double digit.
In her 111-minute speech, she recalled the outstanding contributions of the country’s great national leaders including Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq, Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy, Maulana Bhashani and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and said they had played great role in many ways to make the country jurnalists.
Earlier, Khaleda reached the venue at 10:45am and inaugurated the council by hoisting the national and party flags, and releasing pigeons.
The national anthem, party song and council theme song were also played in the inaugural ceremony, where all central leaders, councilors, delegates, invited guests from home and abroad were present.
There was a huge crowed inside and outside the IEB centering the council as thousands of party leaders and activists from across the country joined the inaugural session.
The IEB premises, front side road, Suhrawardy Udyan and adjacent areas flooded with the people creating traffic congestion for hours around the venue pushing the people to suffer.
Khaleda said they would free the constitutional and autonomous institutions like Election Commission, Public Service Commission, Human Rights Commission and Law Commission free from corruption, irregularities and politicization to ensure democratic and economic good governance.
She said a big difference like the heaven and hail has been create between people in power and those are in the opposition and that’s why many fear to leave power and resort to hatching different conspiracy to retain to power.
“In this back drop, I want to assure all that nobody will be the victim of harassment if the BNP voted to power by the grace of Almighty. We will not injustice to anybody,” she said.
The BNP chief said her party wants to reduce the difference between the ruling and opposition in terms of dignity and enjoying rights. For which, we will have to find out methodology and process though talks,” she added.
She accused the government of its misdeeds in different sector and indulging in corruption and terror acts saying that terrorism, corruption and plundering have taken a severe shape.
“Banks are being plundered…ATM booths and wealth deposited at Bangladesh Banks are also not safe in the hands of corrupt government,” she said.
Khaleda also criticized the government for its failure to stop killings, enforced disappearance and ensure freedom of press, control prices of essentials and protect human rights.
She alleged that the government has turned the total election system into a farce as they do not care about the peoples opinion.
The BNP chairperson questioned whether carrying out anarchy, revenge, hatching conspiracy and resorting to repression on opposition activists ever be a politics.
“People of different views and opinion or opposition parties cannot be eliminated and its consequence never be good. Thus I will request all to be tolerant and hope their good sense will prevail,” she said.
Khaleda said they do not want a fair election or dialogue only to go to power rather they want to do it to restore democracy, establish an accountable government and restore the voting right of people.
She said reaching a consensus a demand of the time and it will bring good for all.
The BNP leader argued that election is the peaceful manner to form a government on the basis of peoples mandate in a democratic manner.
“There will be no legal and peaceful path to change the power if the election system is destroyed. It will widen the path of grab power illegally,. I urge not to push the country towards anarchy,” she said.
The BNP chief called upon the party leaders and activists to wake up and get united to restore their rights which were snatched.
“The curtain of darkness is being removed and light will come soon,” she added.
She alleged that conspiracy is being hatched to destroy BNP like it was done in the past but people love BNP so it will not be possible to destroy the party.
BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, who is now self exile in London, made a 35-minutes speech through a video clip.
BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir observed that the future action plan for BNP should be party, movement and election.
He urged the party leaders and activists to remain alert about the “infiltrators of the government.
The BNP leader alleged that the infiltrators are responsible to confuse a democratic movement.
The inaugural session of council ultimately turned into a huge showdown with the presence of party rank and file.
British Parliament’s Labour Party member Simon Danczuk and European Parliament’s former MP and Liberal Democrat Party member Phil Bennion US politician Alderman Geojon Moore, who is also the initiator of launching a road in Chicago in the name of BNP’s founder president ZiaurRahman and US leader Ms Barbara Moore delivered welcome speech.
The BNP received a video message conveying best wishes for the party’s Sixth National Council by India’s ruling Bharat Janata Party (BJP).
Vijay Jolly, BJP National Executive Committee member and Executive Convenor of Foreign Cell sent the video message to BNP. The video was displayed on a large screen during the council.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Shuja Alam and representatives of several countries including Russia, Kuwait, India, Palestine, Maldives, Sri Lanka, China and Saudi Arabia marked their presence as well.
Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh president Dr AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and LDP chief Col (Retd) Oli Ahmed also addressed at the gala event, which is moderated by BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan.
Jamaat leader Prof Tasnim Alam, Jatiya Ganotantrik Party Shafiul Alam Prodhan, Khelfat Majlish leader Ahmed Abdul Quader and chairman of Bangladesh Kallyan Party Syed Muhammed Ibrahim, among others, were also present on the occasion.
Khaleda Zia and her elder son Tarique Rahman have already been elected party chairperson and senior vice chairman unanimously for three-year term as the councilors approved the proposal of the election commission unanimously.
Jamiruddin Sircar placed the election report on reelection of Khaleda and Tarique Rahman in the council session. – Staff Reporter
