BARISHAL : Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has called upon his party leaders and activists to remain united as they have been over the past 17 years.

"There may be differences of opinion among ourselves. But unity must not be broken because of that. Just as everyone remained united in the past, that unity must be maintained in the future," he said. 

The Prime Minister made the remarks while addressing an organisational meeting with local BNP leaders and activists at the Barishal Shilpakala Academy on Monday. 

He said, "Just as everyone remained united and brought the party to victory in the last election, you must remain united and ensure the party's victory in the upcoming local government elections. If unity is maintained, fascists and infiltrators will not be able to enter or gain any advantage. They will benefit only if there is a crack in our unity."

Reminding about the past 17 years, the BNP chairman told the party leaders and activists, "You have kept the party alive over the past 17 years. Despite enforced disappearances, killings and repression, you all worked together to sustain the party. During this time, you devoted more time to the party than to your own families and spent your own money. You endured stress and suffering for the party. Did you endure the same for your own families? No. BNP leaders and activists across the country have made sacrifices for the party in their own ways. That commitment must continue."

Addressing the party workers, Tarique Rahman asked, "Now there is no fear of that repression. At that time everyone stood by one another and the party remained united. Why can't you remain united now?"

Warning about hybrids and infiltrators, he said, "There were many conspiracies before the election regarding whether the election would take place. They are still waiting, while another group is plotting from abroad. The party must be strengthened. While reorganising the party, special attention must be given to hybrids and infiltrators so that they cannot enter the party leadership."

The Prime Minister said the BNP had formed the government through the sacrifices of its leaders and activists, adding, "Do you want your party to remain in charge of running the country? Then unity must prevail at the grassroots. The grassroots must remain strong. It is because of you that the BNP has come to power."

Calling upon party leaders and activists to unite before the local government elections, Tarique Rahman said, "You want local government elections, but they require extensive preparation. Do you have that preparation? No. If you are not prepared, can you win? No. If you cannot win, how will the government function? Will it remain in power? We will certainly hold local government elections. We will decide after discussions following the monsoon. But before that, you must become united."

"You will sit together and decide who will be chairman, who will be member and who will lead the party. We want to move forward with the party. We want to keep progressing," he added. 

Instructing party leaders to ensure that no untoward incidents occur during the upcoming major Hindu religious festival, the Prime Minister said, "In a few days there will be a major religious event of the Hindu community. I am telling you present here, and you should also tell those who are absent, that their religious festival must be held peacefully at any cost. No one should be allowed to create any untoward incident or take advantage of the situation."

At the beginning of his speech, he highlighted the picture of corruption, irregularities and looting that took place in the country in the name of development over the past 17 years. 

"For the past 17 years we kept hearing about development. But where did that development actually take place? It did happen, but it was development of their own pockets. Now we see that none of that so-called development is of any use. They destroyed every sector," the BNP chairman said. 

Noting that thousands of crores of taka has been laundered in the name of development, the Prime Minister said, "Taka 54,000 crore was spent on the Padma Bridge, whereas the Bhupen Hazar Bridge, which is equivalent to the Padma Bridge, cost only Taka 14,000 crore. Rooppur was supposed to cost Taka 4,000 to 5,000 crore, but they spent Taka 14,000 crore."

During the tenure of the interim government, he said, noted economist Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya published a white paper showing that Taka 16,000 crore had been siphoned off every year over the past 17 years.

Questioning whether development means only constructing roads, the Prime Minister said, "Why is waterlogging occurring in different districts? You see large flyovers in Dhaka city, but drains and canals have been filled up. That is why waterlogging is occurring everywhere. Development will take place, and we will carry it out."

"We have started working to upgrade 51-bed hospitals at the upazila level to 101 beds. Upazila-level hospitals were first introduced by my father (Shaheed President) Ziaur Rahman with 31 beds. Later, during the tenure of my mother Begum Khaleda Zia, they were upgraded to 51 beds. We will now upgrade them to 101 beds," he added. 

Noting that children suffer greatly when they fall ill, Tarique Rahman said, "We will establish 1,000 children's hospitals across the country. Development does not mean only roads. Everything must be developed. Children's hospitals, healthcare, education and canal excavation are also development. The BNP government assumed office during one of the country's most critical periods and has since had to face several complex challenges."

Addressing party leaders and activists, he said, "You know very well the condition in which we assumed responsibility. The banking sector has been weakened and the healthcare sector is in a fragile state. Those living in metropolitan cities and district towns may receive some healthcare services, but the condition at the upazila level is extremely poor."

"The healthcare system has been destroyed. The education system has also been taken to such a state that our certificates have no value abroad. Even educated people are more unemployed, while those with less education are at least managing to find some work," the Prime Minister said.

Stating that accountability is necessary in every sector, he said, "Accountability means holding elections at regular intervals so that people can elect their rulers through voting. But over the past 17 years, even accountability has been destroyed."

Mentioning that the BNP government fulfils its promises to the people, the Prime Minister said, "We promised to introduce the Family Card, and we have done so. We promised to introduce the Farmers' Card, and we have started doing that. We have begun implementing all the commitments we made to the people because we had a plan."

"We assumed office in February, and Ramadan began the very next day. During that Ramadan we did not allow prices of essential commodities to increase. People observed Ramadan comfortably. Then the war in the Middle East began. Global oil prices rose and supplies declined. As a result, our additional expenditure increased by US$2.5 billion, or Taka 25,000 crore."

Addressing party leaders and activists again, the BNP chairman said, "You are now in charge of governing the country, so you must act with wisdom and responsibility."