[🇧🇩] New Government (BNP) in Bangladesh

[Saif]

100 Days of the Prime Minister: A message of responsibility, discipline and inspiration

He has initiated the Padma Barrage Project and has also made commitments regarding the Teesta Project. He is a sensitive leader who takes the concerns of common people seriously. He regularly reads the newspapers, talks to the reporters, learns the details, and takes action accordingly. He wants...

en.prothomalo.com

100 Days of the Prime Minister: A message of responsibility, discipline and inspiration

Shahadat Shadhin

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman speaks at a meeting on easing traffic congestion in the capital

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman speaks at a meeting on easing traffic congestion in the capitalPress Wing
Bangladesh has embarked on a fresh journey after the struggle against 17 years of prolonged fascist rule, the July mass uprising, the departure of fascism at the cost of thousands of lives, the awakening of democracy in Bangladesh through the 12 February 12, and the revival of a vibrant parliament. At the helm is Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. Though he is new as prime minister, he is not new to politics. From his teenage years into youth, he traveled across the fields and villages of this country, reaching out and connecting with the people.

In his first 100 days as prime minister, Tarique Rahman has delivered and continues to deliver a message of action. He is working day and night to build a Bangladesh replete with human values. He is tirelessly working to fulfill every electoral promise. His groundbreaking initiatives, such as the Family Card and Farmer Card, are examples of that commitment. He is proving to be a visionary and compassionate leader. Initiatives like canal excavation and tree plantation are highly important in addressing climate change. In a small yet densely populated country like ours, no development can be sustainable without taking climate and the environment into account.

He has initiated the Padma Barrage Project and has also made commitments regarding the Teesta Project. He is a sensitive leader who takes the concerns of common people seriously. He regularly reads the newspapers, talks to the reporters, learns the details, and takes action accordingly. He wants to build a country that belongs to everyone.

Lee Kuan Yew inspired the entire nation to lift Singapore out of post-colonial uncertainty and poverty into economic stability. Nelson Mandela worked to build an inclusive state in post-apartheid South Africa instead of pursuing revenge. After World War II, Shigeru Yoshida led Japan’s economic recovery. Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman assumed responsibility during a critical period for the nation, laid the foundations of the country’s economy and industrial policy, united the entire nation, and created inspiration.

This is how leaders inspire nations. Tarique Rahman too works tirelessly round the clock and is also generating inspiration at home and abroad, within the government, parliament, schools and colleges, and among the youth. The prime minister is motivating young entrepreneurs. He has encouraged the disabled in innovations to boost confidence.

At an event organised for the Police Week, he said: “We all buy flats or land thinking about our children’s secure future. Let us also think about building a safe country for our children’s future.” If the country is safe, the safety of everyone’s children is ensured as well. He sees the country as one large family.

Complaints about not finding officials in government offices on time are longstanding. Since taking office, the prime minister himself has been arriving at the office at 9 am every day. This is having a positive impact across government offices throughout the country. He follows traffic laws himself, which encourages citizens to obey them as well. It is also sending a strong message to the traffic department to maintain discipline and to various branches of the government to establish order.

He is placing significant emphasis on creating employment opportunities for young people. He listens to the youth and thinks about their concerns. During a visit to Dhaka University, he sat with common students. He said, “I am sitting in front of the future of Bangladesh.” This reflects how he values young people.

Political tolerance, family values, refined cultural practices, patriotism, discipline, coordination, and dedication, are qualities we must cultivate to build the nation. Only then will the prime minister’s “I Have a Plan” vision be fully realised.
We have moved beyond a culture of fear. That is why the prime minister wants to hear everyone’s opinions and questions, not scripted ones. It is important to be a good listener while sitting in the prime minister’s chair. The prime minister has met with editors and publishers. Even before assuming office, he exchanged views with journalists. No one’s political ideology was considered a factor there.

The prime minister has emphasised restoring a culture of political tolerance. There will always be differences of opinion in politics; in fact, agreeing to disagree is essential. Unfortunately, for a long time our nation was deliberately divided on various issues. Although the mass uprising of 2024 emerged through a united national struggle, many unfortunately attempted after 5 August to pit 1971 against 2024. Here, Tarique Rahman and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) played a responsible role.

Tarique Rahman said, “1971 was our struggle to achieve independence, while 2024 was our struggle to protect that independence.” Through this, he freed the nation from unnecessary division and futile arguments and delivered a message of national unity: there may be differences of opinion in democracy, but not division. Immediately after the election, the prime minister visited the homes of Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman and NCP Convener Nahid Islam.

A strong parliament is essential for an effective and stable democracy. The BNP government is emphasising keeping parliament vibrant and turning it into the central hub of national discussion. According to the proposal in the July Charter, BNP wanted to give the position of deputy speaker to the opposition. To address the energy crisis, an all-party committee was formed with five members each from the ruling and opposition parties. If an opposition member of parliament falls ill, the prime minister personally visits them. As part of political goodwill, he has also attended iftar gatherings hosted by the opposition.

He is reminding us of the importance of personal and family values. When the prime minister meets schoolchildren, he not only encourages them to study textbooks but also tells them to play sports, reduce mobile phone use, and read fiction too. The prime minister is encouraging a culture of reading books.

Political tolerance, family values, refined cultural practices, patriotism, discipline, coordination, and dedication, are qualities we must cultivate to build the nation. Only then will the prime minister’s “I Have a Plan” vision be fully realised.

* Shahadat Swadhin is Deputy Press Secretary to the Prime Minister​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh is still trapped in a cycle of injustice

Despite the 2024 mass uprising, Bangladesh’s flawed political transition continues perpetuating human rights abuses and systemic injustice.

www.thedailystar.net

100 days of the BNP government

Bangladesh is still trapped in a cycle of injustice

Anu Muhammad

During the Hasina government, one of the biggest sources of public anger was the widespread abuse and repression faced by ordinary people at every level of society, from university campuses to roadside hawkers. Alongside this were countless incidents of enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, and the use of state power to suppress dissent. The judiciary was effectively brought under political control, leaving courts largely dysfunctional. Many people were detained without trial, while injustice and repression became deeply entrenched.

Public outrage against these abuses eventually erupted through the 2024 mass uprising. One of the central expectations of that movement was that such injustice would no longer continue. People hoped that minimum human rights would be ensured, citizens would feel secure in their lives, criminals would face justice, and innocent people would no longer become victims of state repression.

However, after the political transition and the arrival of the interim government, some of those expectations went largely unfulfilled. Instead, many people witnessed a continuation of injustice. Mob violence spread, while shrines, temples, cultural events, Baul gatherings, sculptures, and Liberation War murals came under repeated attack. Yet, the administration repeatedly failed to prevent these incidents. Even after attacks on institutions such as Prothom Alo, The Daily Star, Chhayanaut, and Udichi, no meaningful action was taken against those who incited or organised the violence.

There have been instances where draconian or vaguely-worded laws such as the Anti-Terrorism Act have been used to justify arbitrary arrests and detentions of individuals involved in democratic and political activism.

In February 2026, an elected government came to power. People expected this government to totally break this cycle of injustice. But the early signs so far haven’t been very encouraging. There have been instances where draconian or vaguely-worded laws such as the Anti-Terrorism Act have been used to justify arbitrary arrests and detentions of individuals involved in democratic and political activism. Early in March, three university students were arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act simply for using their democratic rights to honour a historic event. Although they were assaulted by other students for playing the March 7 speech on loudspeakers, they were accused under anti-terror laws. One of them was released on bail a few days ago, while others remain in detention.

The situation is similar for more than 50 Bawm community members, including women and children, who have been detained during the Awami League regime. Many see this prolonged detention—more than two years now—as an attempt to criminalise an entire ethnic group. Even the non-political interim government did not carry out any proper investigation or present any explanation for their detention. There has been no meaningful progress in these cases even under the new government. In other words, arbitrary detention without due process and arrests under false and fabricated cases continue to occur.

Several widely discussed murder and rape cases from the Hasina era also remain unresolved. One of them was the killing of teenager Twaki, who was abducted, brutally tortured, and murdered. The family of the then MP Shamim Osman was accused in the case. Although the trial had progressed significantly, it reportedly stalled after intervention by then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina. During the interim government, the case did not move forward, and even now, there is little visible effort to revive it. Similarly, the case of the murder of journalist couple Sagar and Runi, which happened more than a decade ago, continues to drag on through repeated delays, turning the judicial process into what many describe as a farce.

Another highly discussed case involved the rape and death of a young woman named Munia. There, too, no progress is evident that would ensure justice. Despite the prominence of these cases from the Hasina era, neither the interim administration nor the current government has taken substantial steps to ensure accountability. Apart from limited developments in the case of Tonu, another victim, the others remain largely stagnant.

Ensuring citizens’ rights, including freedom of expression, the right to work, and personal security, sits at the core of democracy. Yet a culture of fear still lingers; cyberbullying and threats of mob violence are being used to suppress critical voices.

At the same time, there seems to have been a rise in violent crimes and murders. Violence against women and children has also risen sharply, particularly child abuse. A number of incidents of sexual violence in educational institutions, including madrasas, have been reported in recent weeks, yet there has been little visible effort to ensure accountability or to make anti-sexual harassment policies mandatory in such institutions.

During the interim government’s rule, Liberation War murals and sculptures were vandalised in many places. Although identifying those responsible for the vandalism would not be difficult, no effective action has been taken against them. There has also been little effort to restore the damaged murals and sculptures.

Ensuring citizens’ rights, including freedom of expression, the right to work, and personal security, sits at the core of democracy. Yet a culture of fear still lingers; cyberbullying and threats of mob violence are being used to suppress critical voices. Lack of transparency and weak accountability in different institutions continue to surface. Land grabbing, deforestation, river encroachment, and extortion also continue. In many of these cases, people still do not receive justice.

Parliament has debated many issues in recent months, but urgent matters such as insecurity, judicial reform, resolving long-pending cases, ensuring safety and discipline in educational institutions, and establishing responsible leadership have not received adequate attention.

There are also concerns about Bangladesh’s position in international trade and strategic issues. There is strong evidence to believe that the US trade agreement signed by the interim government—without public consultation, and just three days before the February election—puts the country’s economy under serious risk and threatens the employment of millions. Also, the agreement restricts Bangladesh’s economic and political independence, giving excessive leverage to the Trump administration over the country’s sovereign decisions. If not significantly changed, this agreement is going to be a major source of injustice for millions of farmers, poultry and fisheries entrepreneurs, pharmaceuticals, IT workers and so on. The lack of engagement of all parties in parliament on this issue is a serious matter of concern.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Tarique Rahman takes oath as prime minister during a swearing-in ceremony at the National Parliament building in Dhaka on February 17, 2026. Photo: AFP

Another major issue is border killings. India is not only depriving Bangladesh of its water rights, but it also continues to carry out border killings. Early on May 14, one Bangladeshi, Khademul Haque, was shot dead by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) at the Amjhol border in Hatibandha upazila of Lalmonirhat, while two others were killed along the Pathariadwar border in Kasba upazila of Brahmanbaria on May 8. Previous governments were often criticised for not raising this issue with India strongly. It is expected that BNP would take a stronger position to ensure the safety of our citizens. So far, however, that strength has not been visible yet.

The expectation from the incumbent government, having emerged from an uprising, is naturally greater. Fundamental human rights, sovereign authority over national policy decisions, political freedom, freedom of expression, security of life, and access to justice must all be ensured. It is the responsibility of the administration to be adequately responsive to public concerns related to these. We do not want to witness continuing failures of citizens’ rights and the cycle of injustice.

Anu Muhammad is former professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University.​