Chittagong, Jan 25 (V7N) — BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Sunday said he wants to move away from the traditional politics of blame and instead take advice from the youth to build the country.

He made the remarks while joining a “policy talk” with young people at a hotel in Chittagong on Sunday morning. The exchange of views began at 10:00 am at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

Addressing the gathering, Tarique Rahman announced that if BNP comes to power, the party plans to excavate 20,000 kilometers of canals across the country, saying the initiative would help reduce rain-induced waterlogging and increase groundwater reserves.

“When we do politics, we blame each other. We want to get out of that culture and take advice from the youth to build the nation,” he said.

Highlighting challenges faced by students studying abroad, the BNP chairman said the party is considering student loan facilities to ease financial pressure on overseas students.

He also emphasized the importance of vocational education, stating that BNP will identify skills that will have global demand over the next five to ten years and include them in vocational curricula.

“If trained workers are sent abroad after proper technical and language training, Bangladesh can export a highly skilled workforce,” he said.

Referring to the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War and the 2024 movement, Tarique Rahman said people did not discriminate based on religion or nationality during those times. He proposed keeping a five percent quota, with the remaining opportunities allocated purely on merit, ensuring equal opportunities for people in both plains and hill regions.

He further noted that no development plan would succeed without strong law and order and effective anti-corruption measures.

“Extortion has spread in many forms across society. If the government sends a clear message of zero tolerance against corruption, these crimes will be significantly reduced,” he said.

The BNP chairman also announced plans to introduce audio-visual connectivity in schools, allowing students to receive lessons from the country’s best teachers and ensuring modern training facilities for teachers.

END/SMA/AJ