Sylhet grassroots see Tarique adoration

Bangladesh Nationalist Party started its meetings with grassroots leaders from Sylhet yesterday but the programme turned into a rally to praise Tarique Rahman with a mega participation of central leaders, who were mostly known as Hawa Bhaban men during the BNP-led government 's rule.
Even the name of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was mentioned only for few times as most of the speakers praised the role of her son Tarique Rahman, senior vice chairman of the party.
None of the field level leaders got the opportunity to address the meeting. But earlier it was declared that the grassroots leaders would exchange views with the intellectuals.
A documentary over Tarique's role in the union representative conferences held in 2005 was screened at the programme.
But surprisingly, neither the organisers nor the invited guests placed before audiences the recommendations made in those conferences.
Tarique, now in London, initiated such ground-level conference when the party was in power.
Talking to The Daily Star, Syed Rezaul Karim, joint secretary of Golapganj upazila BNP, said the programme did not fulfil their main target but still they considered the meeting an opportunity to boost the party spirit.
BNP Standing Committee Member Brig Gen (retd) ASM Hannan Shah attended the discussion as chief guest with Prof Kamal Ahmed Chowdhury of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in the chair.
Hundreds of party leaders, workers and supporters attended the programme at Saifur Rahman Auditorium in the town.
Hannan Shan said BNP had started its meetings with grassroots from Sylhet with the spirit of union representative conference. The party would arrange the same programme at least in nine more venues across the country, he added.
Prof Mahbub Iqbal and Prof Rashed Hasnat of Sylhet Agriculture University, Dr Sajedul Karim of SUST, Dr Niaz Ahmed Chowdhury of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dr Shamimur Rahman of Bogra Medical College, Prof Mahbub Ahmed, former principal MC College, Lt Col (retd) Ali Ahmed, among others, took part in the discussion.
Former lawmaker and BNP Organising Secretary M Ilyas Ali, also coordinator of the programme, gave welcome speech.
The Daily Ittefaq reporter Mushfiqul Fazal Ansari, who was the deputy press secretary to former prime minister Khaleda Zia, conducted the meeting.
Huge number of central leaders including former lawmakers, chairperson's adviser, vice presidents, joint secretary generals, organising secretaries, leaders of front and associate bodies including Juba Dal and Chhatra Dal attended the meeting.
Prof Kamal Ahmed Chowdhury said each and every case filed against Tarique would turn into ornaments for him, as all of them are false and baseless.
Prof Mahbub Iqbal said “Fakhruddin-Moeen Uddin rocked the backbone of the nation by hitting Tarique's spinal cord."
Dr Niaz Ahmed Chowdhury in his speech urged the BNP leadership to find out the mistakes the party made earlier and asked to take actions accordingly.
Dr Shamimur Rahman said Tarique wanted to establish a participatory democracy in the country. He said conspiracy was going on to defame Tarique by arranging some people as state witnesses, which have to be resisted by BNP men.