Dhaka, Jan 28 (V7N)- BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman has said that the long-standing suffering of residents in Dhaka’s Uttara area is largely due to the lack of proper water and gas supply, despite people paying their utility bills regularly. He vowed that resolving these problems would be among the party’s top priorities if BNP comes to power in the 13th National Parliament elections.

He made the remarks while addressing an election rally at the Azampur Eidgah ground in Uttara early Tuesday morning at around 1:30 am.

In his speech, Tarique Rahman said that exploration of new gas wells in the country had been obstructed in the past, worsening the energy crisis. Stressing the need to overcome this situation, he said new gas exploration and the establishment of factories are essential to create employment opportunities.

Referring to the country’s water crisis, the BNP chairman said that canals and small water bodies across Bangladesh have dried up, while river flows have been disrupted due to dams built upstream. “Just as we need to solve the water crisis in Uttara, the same problem must be addressed across the country. That is why we have taken up a nationwide canal excavation programme,” he added.

Highlighting healthcare needs, Tarique Rahman also emphasized the necessity of establishing a government hospital in Uttara to ensure affordable treatment for middle- and lower-income residents. He said BNP would take initiatives in this regard if elected.

Recalling the role of Uttara residents in the July Uprising of August 5, 2024, he said the contribution of the people of the area to the student–public movement would be “written in golden letters in history.”

Earlier, the BNP chairman addressed election rallies in Gazipur and Mymensingh as part of his ongoing campaign ahead of the parliamentary elections.

END/SMA/AJ