JASHORE — Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said the July charter signed by political parties will be implemented step by step and in full, warning that some individuals and parties are trying to divert the referendum result and confuse the public to create chaos.
He spoke at a brief rally Monday afternoon after inaugurating re-excavation work on the historic Ulsi canal in Sharsha upazila of Jashore.
“Everyone must be alert about those who are trying to take the referendum verdict in a different direction and misrepresent the July charter for their own political interests,” Rahman said.
He said those who want to create chaos for political gain will, if they cannot do so, instead try to obstruct programs taken up for the people — including family cards for women, farmer cards, canal excavation, reopening shuttered mills to employ jobless youth, taking health services to villages and tree-planting programs.
Rahman said the public must play a responsible role to ensure no one can hinder the country’s progress.
Recalling the Aug. 5 mass uprising, the prime minister said: “The people have already shown they do not accept any attempt to override their will. The way the people responded on Aug. 5, they will respond the same way in the future if anyone tries to play with their fate.”
Outlining various government development initiatives, Rahman said: “If these activities are successfully implemented, positive changes will come to the lives of the people.”
“Today we must take an oath. The 400 million hands of 200 million people cannot sit idle. We must put those 400 million hands to work building the country and changing the people’s fate. Only then will the fate of the people of this country change,” he said.
“Over the last 50 years, many countries have changed their fate before our eyes. Singapore, which we sometimes talk about, was in worse shape than us in 1971. Look where they are after 50 years. If they can do it, why can’t we? God willing, we can too. The people of this country will,” he said.
Saying the BNP practices the politics of changing the people’s fate, the prime minister said: “We have seen that since independence they have repeatedly tried to create unrest, confusion and chaos in the country.”
“We saw how 173 days of hartal were called in the name of a movement. Do you remember how those 173 days tried to destroy the country’s economy. Now the same ghost has taken hold of someone else’s shoulders. You must be alert about this,” he said.
“If we stay alert and remain committed to implementing our programs, no one will be able to toy with the fate of the people of Bangladesh,” Rahman said.
“If anyone tries to toy with the fate of the people of Bangladesh, God willing, the way the people of Bangladesh responded on Aug. 5, 2024, they will respond the same way in the future.”
“Those of us who belong to the party of the martyred Zia, those of us who are soldiers of Khaleda Zia, we believe that this country is our first and last address. That is why we say, first Bangladesh, my last Bangladesh,” he said.
Pointing to the Ulsi canal, Rahman said: “There is no water in this canal because these canals have been blocked, silted up. In many places, canals have been encroached upon. Has the silting, blocking and encroachment of canals benefited ordinary people or farmers? No.”
“We have come today to re-excavate this canal. Nearly 50 years ago, the martyred president Ziaur Rahman excavated this canal. If we can re-excavate this roughly four-kilometer canal, people in this area will get water. About 20,000 farmers will benefit directly, around 1,400 tonnes of additional food grain will be produced, and roughly 72,000 people will benefit directly,” he said.
“If there is water in this canal, who will benefit? The people of this area. Not only that — when the re-excavation is complete, we will plant about 3,000 trees along the two banks,” he said.
The prime minister said mothers and sisters in this area who used to keep ducks at home can no longer do so because there is no water in the canal. But once water returns, they will have additional income through duck farming, he said. “If we all work together, change is certainly possible. The condition of the country can certainly change. Then the people of the country can live well.”
“Half of Bangladesh’s roughly 200 million population is women. Begum Khaleda Zia made education free for women up to the intermediate level. She first did so up to school level, then up to intermediate. We want to take Khaleda Zia’s program even further,” he said.
“So we have decided to make education free for girls up to the degree level. Not only that — we will also arrange stipends for girls who perform well,” he said.
Earlier at 11:55 a.m., the prime minister inaugurated the re-excavation of the Ulsi canal in Sharsha, which is tied to memories of his father. He cut soil with a spade himself and later planted a tree on the canal bank.
State Minister for Power and Energy Anindya Islam Amit presided over the rally, where Health Minister Sardar Md. Shakhawat Hossain, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, State Minister Farhad Hossain Azad and State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam also spoke.
Rahman arrived at the canal excavation site at 11:42 a.m. and unveiled a plaque built over the canal. He then offered prayers.
The roughly four-kilometer canal from Ulsi to Jadunathpur in Sharsha, Jashore, was excavated by then-president Ziaur Rahman through voluntary labor on Nov. 1, 1976, and is known as Zia’s Canal. It is being re-excavated by the Bangladesh Water Development Board.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report