Tarique Rehman's appeal for peace, says Bangladesh belongs to Muslims, Hindus, Christians

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday called for peace, unity and restraint as he laid out a vision of an inclusive Bangladesh, declaring that the country belongs equally to people of all regions and faiths — those of the hills and the plains, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. His remarks came during his first address to party supporters after returning to Bangladesh from London following a 17-year exile.

Rahman arrived in Dhaka amid heightened political tension and social unease, and went straight from the airport to the July 36 Expressway, where thousands of BNP supporters had gathered to welcome him.

Addressing the crowd, he stressed the need to rebuild the nation collectively and ensure safety and dignity for all citizens, regardless of political affiliation or religious identity.

"The time has come for all of us to build the country together," Rahman said. "This country belongs to people of the hills and the plains, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians. We want to build a safe Bangladesh, where every woman, man and child can leave home and return safely".

His emphasis on communal harmony and law and order was widely seen as an attempt to reassure minority communities who have faced a spate of attacks in recent months.

Since the interim government assumed power after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August last year, Bangladesh has witnessed a series of violent incidents targeting minorities, particularly Hindus.

The issue has drawn domestic and international attention, especially after a 25-year-old Hindu worker was lynched by a mob in Mymensingh city.

Earlier this week,



minority groups staged protests in Dhaka, accusing the interim administration of failing to protect vulnerable communities.

India has also repeatedly voiced concern over the safety of minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh.

Against this backdrop, Rahman urged people from all walks of life to work together to maintain stability.

"Whatever political party we belong to, whatever religion we believe in, whether we are non-partisan individuals — all must join hands to maintain law and order," he said.

The BNP leader’s appeal came at a time when the hardline Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, once a coalition partner of the BNP during its 2001–2006 rule, has emerged as a key rival ahead of upcoming elections, particularly after the interim government banned the Awami League.

Rahman, the 60-year-old son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, is widely viewed as a leading contender for the country’s top post.

His return coincides with renewed political instability following the killing of radical youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in last year’s mass protests that culminated in the collapse of the Hasina government.

Invoking the legacy of global civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr., Rahman said, "I have a plan for the people of my country and for my country".

According to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, he described the plan as focused on public welfare, national development and transforming the country’s fortunes.

"To implement this plan, I need the support of all the people of the country," he said, adding that collective backing would make its realisation possible.