BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday said their party’s new challenge is to rebuild the country from what he described as ‘ruins’.

“You have finished a major struggle. That battle was to protect the country, protect the people and safeguard democracy. You have won that war,” he said while addressing a views-exchange meeting with district-level leaders of BNP and its three associate bodies.

Fakhrul said BNP secured a parliamentary majority and formed the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

“We now face a very big challenge. We have come to government from a state of destruction. Wherever you look, you will only hear ‘nothing, nothing, nothing’—that is the reality. Rising from this state of devastation and rebuilding it, lifting it up… not only the party, but also the government and the state—that is our new challenge ahead,” he said.

The BNP leader said their main objective now is to overcome this challenge.

“We are confident under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, who has led us even from exile, that we achieved a successful uprising and also won a successful election to form the government,” he said.

Fakhrul urged party leaders and activists to strengthen the organisation, especially at the grassroots level. “We must remember the leadership and sacrifices of our leaders and workers and ensure better coordination and organisation at all levels,” he added.

The closed-door meeting began around 10:45 am at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in the capital. BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi chaired the session.

BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the programme, which was attended by leaders from the party’s district units, as well as Jubo Dal, Swechchhasebak Dal and Chhatra Dal.

Party Standing Committee members Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, Selima Rahman and AZM Zahid Hossain were also present.

This was the first views-exchange meeting between Tarique Rahman and the party’s grassroots leaders since the 13th parliamentary election held on February 12.