BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman’s wife Dr Zubaida Rahman on Wednesday said she hopes to build an equitable, knowledge-based Bangladesh that upholds the dignity of labour after listening to the problems faced by the residents of Karail, Bhashantek and Sattala areas.

“You have taken your valuable time to come here, listened to us and shared your problems with us. As far as we can, we will listen more, learn more and try to understand one another so that we can find proper ways to solve these problems and present a beautiful, equitable and knowledge-based country that values labour,” she said.

Dr Zubaida, also an eminent cardiologist, made the remarks at a views-exchange meeting held at the open gallery of the Hatirjheel Amphitheatre in the afternoon.

The programme was organised by the professionals’ wing of the Dhaka-17 constituency election steering committee.

After hearing the grievances of people from the three areas, she said proper planning and sincere efforts are needed to resolve these problems and pave the way for an equitable state that respects labour and is free from exploitation.

Zubaida said BNP believes in planned politics and development. “This is the time for a new sunrise of pride. We believe in ‘we’ before ‘me’, ‘country’ before ‘us’, ‘people’ before power, and above all Bangladesh.”

Tarique Rahman’s wife also said BNP believes in equality, not division, and in equal opportunities for all, along with dignity of labour.

“We want recognition of merit, merit-based jobs and rights, justice, and rights before any form of exploitation. We want to present such a society and such a state to the people where the people come before leaders,” she said.

Dr Zubaida said BNP will work for the country by putting Bangladesh first and that everyone must work together to achieve that goal.

Expressing gratitude to people from different professions for joining the programme, she said she heard the painful stories shared by women from Karail, Bhashantek and Sattala, as well as garment workers and a transport worker.

“You have many problems. All of us have many problems, but effective solutions are possible through proper planning,” she said.

At the meeting, some participants narrated various local problems, including poor road conditions, lack of proper drainage, absence of playgrounds, the need for hospitals, establishment of day-care centres in factories, prevention of harassment of female workers in industries, traffic congestion, permanent rehabilitation of slum dwellers, corruption in issuing driving licences for public transport drivers, and improvement of street lighting.

People from different walks of life, including rickshaw pullers, bus drivers, garment workers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, agriculturists, bankers and members of the Nurses’ Association, attended the programme.

The meeting was chaired by Professor Farhad Halim Donar, Executive Director of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation. BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan and Abdul Salam, chief election agent of BNP’s Dhaka-17 candidate Tarique Rahman, also spoke at the programme.

Earlier, a special prayer was offered seeking the salvation of the departed soul of former BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.