Tarique Rahman rules people’s heart as a hero

President Ziaur Rahman founded the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on September 1, 1978, in a time of national crisis. The establishment of the BNP at that historical juncture was in response to the nation’s needs. It played a crucial role in the restoration of democratic politics and filled the political vacuum at the time. To understand the necessity and underlying purpose of the establishment of the BNP, it is essential to discuss the context in which the party was formed.

On the night of March 25, 1971, when the Pakistani occupation forces began their brutal massacre, political leaders, workers, and common people fled for safety. At that time, the nation had no political leadership or guidance. In this situation, the nation was perplexed.

In such a context, on March 27, Major Ziaur Rahman declared the war for independence and appeared before the nation. He himself joined the liberation war, and his sudden call gave direction to the people. Responding to Ziaur Rahman’s call, the people fought a relentless nine-month war, and on December 16, Bangladesh emerged as an independent country on the world map. In the continuity of the exile government, the Awami League formed the government. Ziaur Rahman, the brave freedom fighter, returned to his professional life. For his valiant contributions to the liberation war, he was awarded the title of Bir Uttom by the then government.

Through the controversial election of 1973, the formation of the government and the administration of the state under Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were marked by severe failures and serious irregularities, which were widely discussed. The Sheikh Mujib government failed to provide security to the people. Bank robberies and hooliganism made life miserable for the common people. Relief materials for rehabilitation sent from abroad were also looted. Amid such a situation, on January 25, 1975, the then Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman brought about a change in the governance system. He was elected President in the parliament. All political parties were banned, and all newspapers except for four were shut down.

After January 25, there appeared to be no existence of any political party. The Communist Party and the National Awami Party (NAP) joined the Baksal, which supported the one-party rule. Government employees, the army, and the police were all forced to become members of Baksal.

In this situation, on August 15, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members were killed. This led to a political change. For some, this history was tragic, unwanted, and sorrowful. For those who believe in democracy, it was never acceptable. On November 3, Khaled Mosharraf led a military coup. Justice Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem became the president. Khaled Mosharraf declared himself the Chief of Army Staff. Ziaur Rahman was placed under house arrest. On November 6, the soldiers took to the streets of Dhaka, joined by the people. Through a series of coups and counter-coups, on November 7, the revolution of the soldiers and people succeeded, leading to the success of the coup.

Ziaur Rahman became the Chief of Army Staff and Chief Martial Law Administrator. Justice Sayem remained the president. After about a year, a yes-no vote was held. Following this, Ziaur Rahman began the process of transitioning from the one-party system (Baksal) to a multi-party democracy. He provided opportunities for everyone to participate in politics through registration. Those who had been operating secretly also came into the open. A presidential election was held. General MAG Osmani was nominated as a presidential candidate by JASAD, the Communist Party, and the Awami League. The National Awami Party, Muslim League, Labour Party, and United People's Party formed the Nationalist Front. With the previous government’s system remaining intact, Ziaur Rahman was elected president through direct voting. After becoming president, he united the Nationalist Front and formed the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

On September 1, 1978, under the open sky in front of the Ramna Batmul, there was a small table with about seven chairs, with a few journalists present. To ensure the success of this press conference, I (Gayeshwar Chandra Roy) and Barkatullah Bulu (currently the Vice Chairman of BNP) were present.

There was no pandal set up for the press conference. At 5 PM, Ziaur Rahman arrived. He greeted everyone by shaking hands. In the course of the press conference, he declared his political objectives in 10 minutes.

Along with establishing a multi-party democracy, it was necessary to form a political party to unite the nationalist forces. Ziaur Rahman took on this task. He united the nationalist forces and began practicing democracy at all levels. He emphasized democracy at the state level, giving utmost priority to democratic principles in the process of party formation. He did not allow anyone to hold multiple positions of leadership. Most members of parliament could not become presidents or general secretaries of their local thana or district committees. He established committees from the village level to the district level democratically.

After that, Ziaur Rahman played a key role in the country's development and economic growth, including the introduction of the garment industry, strengthening international relations, dreaming of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) with neighboring countries, and initiating the export of manpower. Ziaur Rahman was not lacking in any field. He utilized the hands of both men and women in nation-building. Within just a few years, he initiated everything, though perhaps he could not complete it fully. His patriotism and integrity were beyond reproach, even by his fiercest enemies.

On August 15, 1975, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana survived because they were abroad. While abroad, in February 1981, Sheikh Hasina became the president of the Awami League. Ziaur Rahman brought her back to the country on May 17, giving her the opportunity to engage in politics. A few days later, on May 30, Ziaur Rahman was martyred in a conspiracy at the Chittagong Circuit House, involving both domestic and international forces.

When this news spread, protests erupted in Dhaka and across the country. Leaders from all political parties rushed to Bangabhaban to protest. The very purpose behind the assassination of Ziaur Rahman failed. The political leaders of all parties played a crucial role in preventing the success of the conspiracy. As a result, the void created by his death made the election of a new president inevitable. At that time, the Acting President, Abdus Sattar, was carrying out the responsibilities of the President. The schedule for the presidential election was announced.

At that time, the Awami League, Communist Party, and JASAD nominated Dr. Kamal Hossain as their presidential candidate. The BNP's candidate was Justice Abdus Sattar. Sattar was elected with more votes than Ziaur Rahman had received in the previous election.

It’s worth mentioning that during Ziaur Rahman’s government, I had seen Khaleda Zia at state functions once or twice. After President Ziaur Rahman’s martyrdom, some of us had considered nominating Khaleda Zia for the presidency, although this did not progress further after discussions. A short time later, she became a member of the party and then the vice-chairman. None of these steps were her own decision; she responded to our call to maintain the unity and leadership of the party. After she joined, the youth, students, and young people in the party found new energy, and the party gained momentum.

On the 46th founding anniversary of the party, I must say that we are still fighting for the establishment of multi-party democracy. Although the democratic process began, it was derailed in 1982 when Hussain Muhammad Ershad took over and imposed military rule. After that, under Khaleda Zia’s leadership, the youth, students, and young people took to the streets. Her courage and uncompromising nature attracted the youth, and despite numerous conspiracies and hardships, we did not falter in the movement.

The BNP is like a garden. Maintaining a garden is difficult. The garden has flowers of many different colors, and within it, there are also thorns that need to be cleared. If one tree is planted, another may not grow. Similarly, the BNP has people with various thoughts and backgrounds. There are still people with both left-wing and right-wing ideologies. Amidst all this, Khaleda Zia has provided leadership and kept everyone united. This has been a blessing for the BNP. Her visionary leadership has kept everything in order, which is why the party's progress has not been hindered.

When she came to power in 1991, Khaleda Zia brought fundamental changes. She transitioned the country from a presidential system to a parliamentary system, enriching democracy. Her leadership was praised far and wide. Under the leadership of Begum Khaleda Zia, the BNP-led Four-Party Alliance formed a government in 2001, after securing a landslide victory.

It is important to note that behind this victory was the work of the current acting chairman of BNP, Tarique Rahman. Before the 2001 elections, his academic work, strategic planning, and technical thinking made the party's tasks easier. This is why Tarique Rahman entered politics at a young age. Even before that, he was involved in political activities behind the scenes. Tarique Rahman won the hearts of the people through his work and dedication. Like his father, Ziaur Rahman, he continued to travel across the country, working tirelessly. He also brought back democratic practices within the party. The BNP-led Four-Party Alliance completed its term on October 28, 2006, and transferred power to a neutral caretaker government.

On January 11, 2007, a government backed by the military was formed as part of a domestic and international conspiracy. As part of this conspiracy, Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman were arrested. During this time, Tarique Rahman was subjected to extreme torture, and his spine was broken in an attempt to kill him. After about a year, under domestic and international pressure, the government released him on parole for advanced medical treatment. Since then, Tarique Rahman, along with his wife Dr. Zobaida Rahman and their only daughter Zaimah Rahman, has been living in the United Kingdom. While in the UK, he was elected as the Senior Vice Chairman at the party's council. On February 8, 2018, Begum Khaleda Zia, the Chairperson of BNP, was imprisoned after being sentenced in a politically motivated case.

Tarique Rahman leads the party based on the ideals of Ziaur Rahman and the path shown by Khaleda Zia, taking everyone’s opinions into account. In an attempt to destroy BNP, numerous leaders and activists, including Khaleda Zia, were sentenced in baseless cases, subjected to enforced disappearances, and killed. There were 145,000 cases against 60 lakh party members, and their business establishments were destroyed. However, due to Tarique Rahman's effective leadership, BNP remains organizationally strong and is now the most popular political party in the country despite numerous conspiracies.

Moreover, in the most recent student and public uprising, Tarique Rahman played a significant behind-the-scenes role, conducting discussions with various political parties and uniting them. His leadership has been instrumental in maintaining party unity and ensuring the success of the movement. Many of the party’s leaders and activists sacrificed their lives during this movement, while many others were injured.

Today, due to Sheikh Hasina's extreme authoritarian attitude, the political future of the Awami League, the party that led the liberation war, and its leaders and workers has been put at risk. Sheikh Hasina is being called a more dangerous ruler than the autocratic Ershad, with people both at home and abroad uttering her name with disdain. On the other hand, just as Ziaur Rahman in 1971 and Begum Khaleda Zia in 1990 became icons for the people, in 2024, Tarique Rahman has earned a place as a hero in the hearts of the people.

Gayeshwar Chandra Roy: Politician, Member of the National Standing Committee of BNP.