An Open Letter to Tarique Rahman on His Birthday

Dear Tarique Rahman Bhai:

Firstly, I would like to start with birthday wishes. Like many others, we all hoped you would celebrate this birthday on the soil of our homeland. Since celebrations are discouraged, let people know through something meaningful. The most frequently asked question in the country right now is: When will you return? Surely, you won’t keep us waiting any longer.

Polls clearly show the BNP far ahead, and people’s interest and aspirations are increasing. Let me thank you for two things right away. After Sheikh Hasina fled, everyone feared that hundreds of thousands would die -- but you managed the situation impressively well.

Additionally, after nominations this time, the restrained behaviour of party candidates was notable. People expected widespread violence, but it’s clear your internal chain of command was much more disciplined this time, which helped prevent the feared chaos.

After many expulsions, we hear less about extortion. It has also been brought under control, to some extent. But will it stay that way? We need your clear pledge: not just expulsions in the future, but legal action once in power -- something you can’t even demand from the current government now. We don’t want to see the violence that follows every election anymore. We expect that when the party takes power, accountability will be based on conduct, not identity.

Speaking of law -- if you investigate, you’ll see the horrifying pile of cases. Along with making the judiciary independent, clearing this backlog is urgent. Tragically, if people don’t receive justice as citizens alongside anti-corruption measures, will we ever regain our civic rights? The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated; immediate steps must be taken to address this issue.

This leads us to corruption. If you come to power, your most significant obstacle will be the bureaucracy. Some issues cannot be resolved with love alone. The country is in such a critical state that there is very little time to bring it back on track. Awami League beneficiaries and corrupt individuals are still hiding. If they remain unpunished for five years, regardless of what you say, people will perceive a significant failure in your leadership.

The ruling party may change, but corruption will persist. The only way to eliminate Bangladesh’s reputation for corruption is to thoroughly investigate and account for the assets of all government employees, including your own party members. What is your plan for this?

Yes, plans. The 31-point program -- it’s not really 31 points; with subheadings, it could total 300. For this massive undertaking, running in government-style won’t achieve even 10%. I often think about Shaheed Zia -- how did this man accomplish so much in just three and a half years?

Yes, your father is the example. After the election, two Eids, the budget -- six months will pass in a blink. 

For this enormous task, you’ll have to move at your father’s pace. You must run, because many around your mother are now elderly; they can provide experience but not speed. And everyone knows -- the people of this country are quite comfort-loving.

Speaking of running, Ziaur Rahman’s greatest strength was travelling across the country. I can say from visiting all 64 districts myself: each has its own style, its own scent. To succeed, you must go to them, listen to them. Many around you will try to scare you and keep you confined in Dhaka under tight security. None of them wants your success.

To be a successful statesman, you must go -- history says so. If you fear, you’ve already lost. In this era, we can directly contact any leader, from Trump onwards, at least via email. Let people connect with you -- you’ll see how easily things get done. This modernity must be brought in. People here don’t have excessive demands, but they become impatient quickly -- that will reduce.

So far, BNP leads other parties in policy planning. Over the past few months, discussions surrounding your 31-point offer have provided a glimpse into various strategies. What has been revealed is genuinely impressive. We desire an implementable manifesto beyond the traditional kind. It must be specific and time-bound -- like modern projects. The manual era of 2008 is over; everyone is eagerly waiting to understand each point in detail.

Our economy remains stagnant. Starting a business in the country is extremely challenging -- those who attempt it are aware. In Bangladesh, establishing a business requires passing through maybe seven to nine layers of bureaucracy -- these obstacles and policy uncertainties hinder investment.

Without making business easier, your vision of a trillion-dollar economy is unachievable. As someone from the business sector, I recognize this country’s enormous potential. With proper guidance, reaching a trillion-dollar economy by 2032 is feasible. However, to achieve this, government policy and corruption must be addressed.

In this country, there are 40 policies on 20 issues, with some policies overlapping others. More policies are broad and open-ended rather than specific in nature. Now is the time to take direct action  -- just as Shaheed Zia did. If you fall into the policy trap, you will be bound by policies for four years.

BNP’s primary concern in planning appears to be unemployment. Official figures report 4.6% unemployment -- but that number, which you don’t believe, is why we remain hopeful. Demonstrate your commitment by reducing unemployment for 10 million people, and the country’s instability will also decrease.

Yet, we in civil society see something hopeful. Our voices are now being taken seriously. During the reforms, the BNP assured the Citizens Coalition that it would deliver whatever reforms the people demanded and promised. The issues we’ve raised in various writings -- BNP has addressed them. Canal and river dredging, the Teesta mega-plan, the Padma/Ganges barrage, day-care facilities, planting trees along borders to prevent killings, health, and agriculture proposals -- we want to see these in BNP’s discussions.

 For this, heartfelt thanks.

Our request: to receive constructive, truthful criticism from civil society or the press, not as enmity like the fascist government, but as a means of refinement. Then you won’t stumble. See civil society not as partners, but as co-creators -- then democratic reconstruction will be sustainable.

After August 5, apart from managing people, one issue that could trouble BNP is its presence on the international stage. Through India, we have lost our own capabilities and connections in foreign relations. You’ll have to face pressure from that country alongside other challenges. There will be agencies embedded and hidden enemies in various places. Proper planning must be in place beforehand. Without new multilateral diplomacy and regional balancing, the next five years will be more difficult than before -- prepare in advance.

We are human; our desires are endless. From an environmental standpoint, I advocate for the signing of the 1997 UN Convention and achieving the goal of net-zero by 2060, considering that 95% of private sector employees. I propose a law to ensure their security.

Today’s youth view climate, environment, and employment as the foundation of the future society -- we want BNP to adopt this vision for the future. You must communicate in the language of the youth, if only for Bangladesh's future.

If I keep listing problems, it’ll become a book. You’ll say: "This guy is ruining my birthday." But what can I do? Agriculture, education, health, environment -- everything is in ruins. Local government has disappeared. If MPs run local government instead of law-making, what will others do? In one word: pain everywhere -- where to apply the medicine?

If you win in 2026 and assume power, there will be endless expectations placed on you -- expectations this government failed to meet. As a result, people have forgotten how to dream; open despair now shows in everyone’s eyes and faces.

We have lost our civic rights. Fascist activists and bureaucrats have turned ordinary people into third-class citizens. In every task, we must introduce ourselves as “so-and-so’s such-and-such.” Losing our identity as citizens -- the shame of it cannot be explained. We want our dignity as citizens restored. Is this demand too much?

This country was struggling; the students and people gave us a lifeline. Now, the chance for revival may be in your hands. Can we make this small request -- to save the country? Many like me stayed back not for PR abroad but solely for the country -- let them not regret in old age that they made a mistake. On your birthday, our only wish is to help the country dream again.

Yours,

Subail Bin Alam

Email: contact@subail.com

A middle-class columnist who believes that if this nation of 200 million falls into the right hands, it can still astonish the world. 

I addressed you as “Bhai” as a junior from BAF Shaheen College and Dhaka University. I hope you’ll take it kindly.