BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday said Bangladesh will bounce back under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, despite all conspiracies to undermine their party.

“Despite various conspiracies, BNP could not be defeated and it will not be defeated in the future either. Rather, Bangladesh will bounce back under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and become self-sufficient in all economic indicators,” he said.

Rizvi made the remarks at a brief rally organised in Uttara in the evening marking the 48th founding anniversary of BNP.

Recalling the country's economic condition in the early years after independence, he said Bangladesh was a hungry, poor and famine-stricken country where people had to eat mango leaves between 1972 and 1975.

Rizvi said then President Ziaur Rahman, a patriotic leader who wanted to protect the country's national independence and sovereignty and refused to act at the behest of any “master”, was killed in a conspiracy involving domestic and foreign actors.

“Why did they kill this patriotic leader? He wanted to protect national independence. He wanted to protect sovereignty. He did not want to act at the behest of any master. That is why Ziaur Rahman was killed as part of a domestic and foreign conspiracy,” he said.

The BNP leader said a political party founded by a patriot and freedom fighter could not be wiped out.

He also recalled former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, saying despite facing repression and persecution, she could not be driven out of the country and remained with the people, speaking for them until her death.

“A party that stood by the people and whose leader remained with the people and spoke for them until her death can never be destroyed,” Rizvi said.

“Naturally, this party could not be defeated despite various conspiracies, and it will not be defeated in the future either. Rather, Bangladesh will bounce back under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership and become self-sufficient in all economic indicators,” he said.