BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has pledged to establish cold storage facilities for mango preservation in the Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj regions to ensure better financial returns for farmers. He said that although Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj are renowned for mango production, the absence of cold storage facilities deprives growers of fair prices. The BNP’s plan includes developing modern mango preservation systems, and cold storage facilities will be built in the region following trials and assessments.

He made the remarks on Thursday (January 29) while addressing a BNP election rally as the chief guest at Rajshahi’s historic Madrasa ground. This was his first public rally in Rajshahi in 22 years. Thousands of supporters gathered at the venue to mark his return.

Tarique Rahman said that although Rajshahi is known as an education hub, it faces a severe shortage of employment opportunities. He noted that while an IT park exists in Rajshahi, it remains virtually non-operational. If BNP forms the next government, Rahman said, the party will revive the IT park to create jobs for educated and skilled unemployed youths. He added that by utilising IT-skilled young people, Rajshahi would be transformed into an effective employment centre.

Addressing unemployment, the BNP chairperson said vocational institutes would be established to develop youths and women as skilled manpower. After training, they would be able to start businesses at home or seek employment abroad.

At the rally, Tarique Rahman made a major announcement for farmers, saying agricultural loans of up to BDT 10,000 would be waived along with interest. He also pledged to introduce a “family card” for women, build a specialised hospital in Rajshahi to improve healthcare services, and establish cold storage facilities for mango preservation.

He further said, “If we have your support, there is another initiative we want to undertake. If the sheaf of paddy forms the government, Insha’Allah, we want to begin work on constructing the Padma Barrage. If we can build the Padma Barrage, it’ll benefit the people of this entire region — Rajshahi, Natore, and Chapainawabganj alike.”

Referring to the Barind Project, the BNP chairperson said it was launched by martyred President Ziaur Rahman, but no meaningful work had been done over the past 16 years. “Among autonomous institutions, the Barind Project was the largest, with its own budget of around BDT 10 billion. Yet it has been shelved,” he said.

“We want to revive the Barind Project. We want to re-excavate the canals in this region and dredge the Padma River,” he added.

From the rally stage, he formally introduced 13 parliamentary candidates from the districts of Rajshahi, Natore, and Chapainawabganj. According to the programme schedule, he left Rajshahi for Naogaon, where he was set to address another rally at Etim Ground, before attending a further public meeting at Altafunnesa Playground in Bogura later that night.