Staff correspondent:

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday stated that the party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has been constantly speaking for a national unity and making the path easier to a common destination.

“Tarique Rahman is talking about creating unity for the entire nation at every moment and making the path easier towards a common destination. Each of his speeches is constructive,” he told the launching ceremony of the book ‘Tarique Rahman: Struggle and Political Journey’ at the Bangla Academy’s Abdul Karim Sahitya Bisharad Auditorium this evening.

Mirza Fakhrul said, “We are waiting for Tarique Rahman’s return to the country. I believe, when he returns, the nation will experience unprecedented unity. The nation will truly get the right leadership.”

“Tarique Rahman was exiled 17 years ago. Critics, opponents, and political adversaries said Tarique Rahman would never succeed. But he continued to carry out the leadership  at a time when Begum Khaleda Zia was sent into exile and imprisoned on false charges,” he said, adding that it was an incredibly difficult task, but Tarique Rahman managed it.

He said the path Tarique Rahman followed was just like that of his father as he inherited some qualities from his father which include far-sightedness, vision for the future, and extraordinary organizational capacity.

“His father formed the first cabinet with the country’s brightest minds, which was a true ‘galaxy of intellectuals. Tarique Rahman is also connecting with the intellectuals of the country and trying to learn how to move the nation forward,” he added.

Commenting on the recent clashes in Khulna, Fakhrul said, “This incident is unfortunate. I strongly condemn it. At the same time, I expect that a fair investigation will be conducted to identify who was responsible for it”.

He added, “Some individuals are consciously trying to create instability and chaos in the country. It is everyone’s responsibility to guide the people in the right direction.”

Fakhrul said, “We are going through a transition period. We believe that as the young generation and students are coming forward, our unity will be consolidated. No one can destroy our unity.”

“It is very painful when I see responsible individuals making statements that create division. Please, let us avoid making irresponsible statements that will divide the nation again and will destroy  all  achievements of July uprising,” Fakhrul concluded.

While presenting keynote speech, former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University Professor Anwar Ullah Chowdhury said, “There is a long history of struggle behind this mass uprising. The nationalist forces played a significant role in the struggle”.

“Now, many people are saying the country has gained its second independence. There is no second independence. Independence happened only once when Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman announced the declaration of independence,” he added.

Referring to the July uprising, the former Dhaka University Vice Chancellor   said, “It cannot be called a revolution in the true sense of the term as revolution means something much deeper. This was a mass uprising, a kind of renaissance. It had similarities with Europe’s Renaissance, as it was a movement of awakening.”

Commenting on the book, he said, “The book portrays the life of Tarique Rahman’s    struggle. If we analyze his life, we see that his ideals, personal experiences, and surrounding circumstances   made him to carry forward a capable leadership. His commitment to changing the fate of the country’s people makes him a great leader.”

Poet and writer Mahbub Morshed described Tarique Rahman as a magical figure saying, “It always seems to me that Tarique Rahman is a magical character. Tarique Rahman has never seen a large portion of the youth with his own eyes as the fascist ruler tried to keep him disconnected from young generations.”

“The ruler even attempted to prevent the younger generation from listening to his speeches by using the courts to block his public statements. At one point, the media couldn’t even mention his name,” added Morshed, also Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).

BSS Chief Editor continued, “However, as a journalist, we witnessed huge participation of youth in BNP’s major programs throughout the year. The magic lies in the fact that despite all attempts to isolate him, the youth’s interests about Tarique Rahman has immensely increased.”

“After August 5, we observed that BNP is not just a political party rather it is becoming the party of the nation,” he said, adding, “When a divided situation was created and the country was heading toward a conflict, everyone started   reaping the benefit of the mass uprising in their own way. But the person who always emphasized the unity was Tarique Rahman.”

Morshed said, “The negative campaigns against him during the Awami League government have been proven false. The efforts to tarnish his character have failed. He has returned to the public in his true form.”

“Many young people do not know what Tarique Rahman looks like as a person,   as a leader, how he interacted with people and what his personal connections were. This book will provide an intimate understanding of that. This book will remain a priceless asset in our history,” he said.

To continue the efforts to make the mass uprising successful, Mahbub Morshed also said, “If we destroy our unity, if we get divided and sacrifice ourselves the petty interests, the fascists will become stronger. If we listen to what Tarique Rahman is saying, we will have a constructive and bright future ahead.”

Chaired by BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, it was also addressed by BNP Publicity Secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, author and journalist Ehsan Mahmud and Adarsha Prokashoni publisher Mahbubur Rahman.