PM urges unity at dinner with alliance partners

Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman assured leaders of parties allied in the anti-fascism joint movement that they would receive due recognition. He said the BNP had not forgotten its allies after assuming power.

“Although the BNP is now in government, we have not forgotten our allies. We remain united as before and will continue to stay united. We will implement the 31-point agenda together,” the prime minister said.

PM Tarique Rahman made the remarks during a greeting ceremony and dinner with alliance partners at the state guest house Jamuna on Monday. The event ran from 7:30 pm to 9:15 pm.

The prime minister hosted the event to strengthen ties with alliance partners and ease growing discontent among them. No formal meeting had been held with the allies since the BNP formed the government, largely because of the government's busy schedule.

Sources at the meeting said alliance leaders initially urged the prime minister to give them what they described as due recognition. They said they wanted to play a role in governing the country just as they had stood shoulder to shoulder during the anti-government movement. They also stressed the need to preserve the anti-fascism national unity to address future political challenges and referred to the BNP's pledge to form a national government. The allies also called for expanding the scope of that proposed national government.

Some coalition leaders thanked the prime minister for what they described as the government's positive social and economic initiatives over the past five months. At the same time, they raised concerns over the government's political shortcomings, deteriorating law and order, killings, terrorism, extortion, land grabbing, and challenges to good governance.

The prime minister listened to their views and stressed the importance of preserving the anti-fascism national unity. He also highlighted various welfare initiatives undertaken by the BNP-led government and sought the allies' cooperation in implementing them.

He said the government had been occupied with a range of challenges, including global conflicts, the economic situation, and the energy crisis, which had delayed a formal meeting with alliance partners. He assured the allies that they would receive proper recognition.

The gathering marked Tarique Rahman's first formal meeting with leaders of parties allied in the movement since the BNP formed the government after winning a majority of seats in the 13th parliamentary election on Feb. 12.

Leaders from the BNP and several allied parties attended the event, including BNP Secretary General and LGRD Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) Chairman Mostafa Jamal Haider, Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Biplobi Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque, Ganosamhati Andolan leader and Planning State Minister Zonayed Saki, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho, Gono Odhikar Parishad President and Expatriates' Welfare State Minister Nurul Haque Nur, and other coalition leaders.

Speaking to Agamir Somoy after the meeting, Bangladesh Ganatantrik Party Chairman SM Shahadat, who also serves as spokesperson for the Nationalist Like-Minded Alliance, said leaders of several alliance partners had sought greater recognition.

According to Shahadat, the prime minister said the government had been facing significant challenges due to the fragile economy, the Middle East conflict, and what he described as a ‘shadow administration.’ He quoted the prime minister as saying those issues would be addressed soon and that the concerns of coalition leaders over recognition would also be resolved.

Shahadat added that the prime minister reiterated his commitment to implementing the BNP's 31-point agenda together with its coalition partners.