Government will not interfere in local elections like the past, PM Tarique Rahman tells BNP leaders in Chattogram

The current government will not interfere in the upcoming local government elections the way the past fascist government did, and party leaders and activists must therefore unite behind candidates who are acceptable to the public and can win the people's vote. BNP chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman delivered this message as chief guest at an organizational meeting of the party in Chattogram on Tuesday night.

More than 450 leaders and activists of the Chattogram city, north and south BNP and its affiliated organizations attended the meeting at the Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View hotel. It was presided over by city BNP convener Ershad Ullah and conducted by city BNP member secretary Nazimur Rahman.

The prime minister said party leaders and activists must remain more vigilant and cooperate with law-enforcement agencies, engaging respected members of society, to keep the law-and-order situation under control. If everyone performs their own duties properly, 50 percent of crime will come down, he said.

He also made clear that no one from the party may get involved in any crime, adding that there would be no concession in this regard. Strict action will be taken against anyone in the party who commits a crime.

Asked about the meeting, Nazimur Rahman said the prime minister instructed leaders and activists to stay united and select candidates who are acceptable and capable of winning in the upcoming local elections, and that the government would not interfere in the polls like the past fascist government.

Belaiyet Hossain, former joint convener of the Chattogram north district BNP and chairman of the Chattogram Development Authority, who was present at the meeting, said the prime minister directed leaders and activists to assist law-enforcement agencies in controlling the law-and-order situation. He also directed them to remain united against the various rumors and conspiracies being spread in the name of the current government by the banned Awami League and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Belaiyet Hossain added that the prime minister asked them to take the government's good work to the people. The opposition claims the government has no ground beneath its feet, but wherever the prime minister goes, crowds of people gather. The country's people are satisfied with the current government's work, he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited the puja mandap at the J M Sen Hall in Chattogram to extend greetings on the occasion of the Sharadiya Durga festival. He landed at Chattogram's Shah Amanat International Airport from Rajshahi by military aircraft at 7:40 pm and went directly to the J M Sen Hall mandap.

Enthusiastic crowds of people and party leaders and activists gathered in front of the J M Sen Hall and the Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View hotel around the prime minister's arrival. He left Chattogram at night.

Earlier, he had also visited puja mandaps in Rangpur and Rajshahi on the occasion of the Durga festival and greeted members of the Sanatan religious community.

Notably, after taking oath as prime minister, Tarique Rahman first visited Chattogram on August 9. During that visit, he took part in various programs in Banshkhali, Fatikchhari, Hathazari and Chattogram city, and later exchanged views with leaders and activists at the Radisson hotel.

According to political analysts, the main objective of this visit was to deliver a message of unity and discipline to the party's grassroots ahead of the local government elections, with a warning to avoid any division over the selection of party candidates.