Bangladesh’s existence cannot be imagined without 1971 Liberation War: BNP’s Tarique Rahman

Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has asserted that the country’s existence remains rooted in the 1971 Liberation War against Pakistan, local media reported.

“The Liberation War is the foundation of Bangladesh as a State and its politics. The country’s very existence cannot be imagined without 1971,” Bangladeshi media outlet BSS quoted Tarique as saying during a meeting with leaders of the Democratic United Front (DUF), a coalition of Bangladesh’s left-leaning parties, at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Dhaka.

“The new political reality and possibilities that have emerged in the country after the recent uprising must be utilised. Everyone, including the government and the opposition parties, must work together to move the country forward,” he added.

Stressing the need for national unity, Tarique said that the existing political opportunity must be used to bolster the democratic system.

During the meeting, the leaders of the DUF expressed grief and offered condolences over the death of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on December 30.

Reports suggest that the leaders also held discussions with Tarique on the prevailing political situation in the country.

According to the leaders of the left-leaning parties, the BNP leader also voiced concern over the law and order situation in the country.

At the same time, Tarique emphasised the importance of a fair, free, and credible national election and called on everyone to remain united.

Following the meeting, Bazlur Rashid Firoz, General Secretary of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), said, “He [Tarique] told us that after returning to the country on December 25, he made it clear in his speeches that the Liberation War is our foundation. Without the Liberation War, Bangladesh would not exist.”

After 17 years of self-imposed exile, Tarique returned to Bangladesh on December 25 amid a deepening political crisis in the country.

He landed at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman.

His return comes at a time when the Bangladesh Election Commission announced that the country’s 13th national parliamentary election, along with a referendum on the July Charter, will be held on February 12 next year.

Analysts reckon that Tarique’s return and participation in the February 2026 elections will test the waters amid the ongoing turbulence in Bangladesh’s politics under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, which is under mounting pressure to deliver a free, fair and credible election.

IANS