BNP will build 'Rainbow Nation': Mirza Fakhrul

 
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday said if his party is voted to power, it will build a 'rainbow nation' embracing all ethnic and cultural communities.

He was addressing the Dhaka Wangala-2025 ceremony as the chief guest, held at Banani Bidyaniketan School & College in the capital on Friday evening.Wangala is the "Hundred Drums Festival," a post-harvest celebration for the Garo community.

Mirza Fakhrul said the party's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman had announced a 31-point reform plan in 2022, which clearly pledged to build a "Rainbow Nation" -- a nation where every community can contribute equally.

He said BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's Vision 2030 also includes plans to preserve the heritage and culture of plainland ethnic groups and to establish a separate directorate to address their issues.

The senior BNP leader stressed the need for improving the socioeconomic condition of different ethnic communities and integrating them with the mainstream of the society, while preserving and promoting their distinct cultures and traditions.  

"Our responsibility is to integrate all communities to some extent with the mainstream of the society, to improve their economic condition, and simultaneously to preserve and promote their cultures and heritages. I think this is a big task," he said.

Talking about the Garo community, the BNP Secretary General said what they need most is to improve their financial condition and protection of their cultures and traditions. He said if BNP comes to power, they will actively consider establishment of a separate cultural academy for small ethnic groups in Dhaka, and celebration of the Wangala Festival with government support.

Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partho Andalev Rahman Partho and BNP joint secretary general Syed Emran Saleh Prince, Presidency University Vice chancellor Prof AHM Faruk and director of the Birishiri Cultural Academy Porag Ritchil, among others, also spoke at the event.