BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday urged his party leaders and workers to respond to their oppressors by making the party’s 31-point proposal a success, rather than resorting to reprisal and revenge.

“If you want to respond to the injustice, oppression, and suppression that have been done to you, you should not imitate what they (Awami League) have done. If we do so, there will be no difference between them and us. If they are wrong, should we become wrong like them? To give a response effectively, we must make our 31-point proposal a success,” he said while virtually addressing three of BNP’s workshops.

“The workshop, titled "31-Point State Structure Reform Proposal and Public Engagement," was organised by the BNP Training Affairs Committee in Narayanganj, and Gazipur cities and Tangail district.

Tarique recalled that over the past 17 years, many BNP leaders and workers were killed, made disappeared, repressed in various ways, arrested and imprisoned.

He claimed that more than 500 BNP leaders and workers were killed during the July-August mass uprising.

“Thousands of our leaders and workers suffered both physically and financially. Their homes and businesses were attacked and damaged. You will not forget these injustices. But if you want to respond, you must work to implement the 31-point outline,” Tarique said.

He said the 31-point proposal must also be implemented to counter the conspirators, both at home and abroad, who do not want democracy to flourish in Bangladesh, and who seek to prevent the political and economic success of its people.

The BNP leader said people’s right to vote must be restored as part of the response to these plotters.

“We’ll restrain ourselves from any activities that could damage the reputation of our party, and we urge our colleagues to avoid actions that would damage public trust in us and harm our party’s image,” he said.

Tarique also urged his party leaders and workers not to engage in activities that the people disapprove of. “As you do politics for the people, why engage in activities that erode their trust?”