PM Working to Build Safe, Humane Bangladesh: Shibly

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has begun pursuing politics based on tolerance and humanity and is working to build a safe and humane Bangladesh, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary AAM Saleh Shibly said on Wednesday.

“People in Bangladesh who were previously unable to speak out have begun a journey from darkness towards light,” Shibly said at a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.

He said the prime minister had embraced what he described as politics of tolerance and humanity and was seeking to build a safe and humane Bangladesh.

Shibly urged people not to mistake the prime minister’s tolerance and humanity for weakness, warning that attempts to create disorder would not be tolerated.

He said Bangladesh was currently going through a favourable phase and called on everyone to make use of the opportunity to build a better state and society based on humane values.

Regarding Tarique Rahman’s recent New York visit for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Shibly said the prime minister spoke in favour of the people, world peace and global human rights.

He said political or economic changes alone were not sufficient to transform a state and society, adding that the prime minister had sought to bring a qualitative change to the country’s traditional political culture.

Shibly highlighted the size of the prime minister’s delegation, saying Tarique Rahman travelled to New York with around 35 people on regular commercial flights rather than a chartered aircraft.

He contrasted this with what he said were previous instances in which 293 people travelled to the United Nations from Bangladesh on special or chartered aircraft, questioning the accountability for the public funds spent on such travel.

According to Shibly, Tarique Rahman’s agenda extends beyond political and economic empowerment to rebuilding Bangladesh’s religious, social and family values.

He said the prime minister wants to establish a society where people respect one another, elders care for younger generations and younger people respect their elders.

Shibly said the prime minister seeks to set an example through his own conduct before conveying his message to others.

Referring to Bangladesh’s political past, Shibly described what he characterised as more than 15 years of “fascist” rule and alleged that enforced disappearances, killings, abductions, attacks, cases and harassment had contributed to a culture of fear.

He said the prime minister wanted to build a humane society free from what he called the politics of vengeance.

Explaining the government’s call for cooperation, Shibly said Tarique Rahman had faced numerous cases, arrest, remand, torture and exile before returning to Bangladesh.

He also said the house where Tarique Rahman grew up and which was associated with his memories had been taken away.

“After 17 years, that Tarique Rahman has returned and, believing in the people and believing that the people are the source of political power, is now running the state with the mandate of the people,” he said.

PM’s Adviser and PMO Spokesperson Mahdi Amin, Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, Speechwriter Mahfuzur Rahman, Deputy Press Secretaries Hasan Shiplu and Md Suzauddhowla, and Assistant Press Secretaries Md Nazmul Haque Khan and Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahriar were present at the press conference.