BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Saturday (October 19) called for universal access to the highest standard of healthcare. 

He said that if elected, the party would ensure patients are treated in hospital beds rather than corridors and that no one is denied care, in remarks delivered.

Addressing a special free medical camp at Bagbari in Gabtali upazila of Bogura—organised to mark the 26th anniversary of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation (ZRF) on the advice of cardiologist Dr Zubaida Rahman, Tarique said services must reach “from village to village, from home to home,” echoing what he described as village-level care during the late president Ziaur Rahman’s tenure. 

He added that, under a future BNP administration, every family mother would receive a medical card enabling all members—from children to the elderly—to obtain treatment.

Tarique Rahman framed the agenda as part of a wider social commitment, saying politics should serve people through programmes for women’s economic empowerment, education, old-age allowances, health, and agriculture. 

He urged preventive health awareness—particularly on diabetes and heart disease—and said stronger training and language education would help students secure good jobs or create their own employment.

Expressing satisfaction at speaking in his home area after a long interval, he said a BNP-led government would expand hospital capacity so patients no longer lie on floors and, if needed, arrange additional care for overflow patients at private facilities, with a pledge that “no one will be excluded from treatment.”

At the event, ZRF vice-chair Dr Zubaida Rahman said the foundation’s members have long worked for humanitarian service despite limited resources and expressed hope it could emerge as a beacon for human rights internationally. 

ZRF executive director Professor Dr Forhad Halim Donar chaired the programme, which also heard from BNP chairperson’s adviser Helaluzzaman Talukder Lalu; BNP Media Cell convener Dr Moudud Hossain Alamgir Pavel; “Amra BNP Paribar” convener Atiqur Rahman Rumon; former DAB Bogura president Professor Dr Md Shahjahan Ali; Gabtali upazila BNP president Morshed Milton; and Professor Dr Md Yunus Ali, member-secretary of the Bogura Health Camp Management Subcommittee. 

Dr Mohammad Abu Naser, deputy director at Bangladesh Medical University (BMU), said roughly 8,000 patients received free treatment at the camp, with around 60 physicians travelling from Dhaka to participate. 

Separately, in a video message posted on Facebook at 11:00 am on Saturday (October 19), Tarique said the BNP “principally agrees” with teachers’ legitimate demands raised at recent assemblies. 

He stated that, if returned to office through popular vote, the party would consider enhancing financial safety nets for educators and explore tenure regularisation or nationalisation through a high-level commission, consistent with state capacity. 

He added that many teacher demands had been met during previous BNP administrations and argued that modernising education and improving teachers’ socioeconomic security and dignity were essential to national reform and citizen welfare.

SMS/