BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday said despite “so much propaganda, conspiracy and plotting” against the party, its popularity remains high at around 55 percent in surveys, while Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s personal popularity is even higher at 65 to 66 percent.

“If a government works for the people, in the interests of the people and for the people, that government will never fail. Such a government will serve as a government appreciated by the people,” he said.

Rizvi made the remarks after paying homage to BNP founder and former president Shaheed Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia at their graves in Zia Udyan in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area at noon.

He visited the graves with party leaders and activists after assuming charge as the acting secretary general of BNP.

Rizvi said his primary responsibility would be to run the party in a disciplined and coordinated manner.

“I will work to ensure that the organisational activities instructed by the party chairman are carried out properly,” he said.

The BNP acting secretary general said the programmes announced by the BNP chairman had been taken with the aim of serving the people’s interests, ensuring human welfare and social protection, and developing infrastructure.

“Party leaders and activists must cooperate in properly implementing these programmes and present the government’s initiatives to the people,” he said.

Rizvi warned party leaders and activists against engaging in any unethical activities using the BNP’s name.

He said BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman had taken strict action against those who became involved in wrongdoing in the name of the party after August 5.

“Therefore, party leaders and activists must engage in constructive activities and strengthen the party,” he said.

Rizvi said if party leaders and activists remained connected with the people, no one would get the opportunity to harbour unethical intentions.

He said accountability had been ensured in implementing every government programme, adding that BNP would not undertake any activity outside the public interest.

On BNP’s popularity, Rizvi said Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia had worked for public welfare.

“Their initiatives for women’s empowerment and the country’s economic development increased BNP’s popularity,” he said.

He said that Tarique Rahman is implementing new programmes as a continuation of their efforts and that those programmes had gained popularity among the people.

Rizvi said party leaders and activists would cooperate in implementing the programmes and inform the people about them.

“This will further increase BNP’s popularity,” he said.

Addressing party leaders and activists, he said there might be one or two people across the country involved in various unethical activities.

“To them I would say that the chairman has taken strong action against those who were involved in various wrongdoings using the party’s name after August 5,” he said.

“Therefore, no one should engage in unethical activities. Everyone should remain involved in constructive work and strengthen the party,” Rizvi said.

He urged party leaders and activists to make efforts so that they could work as representatives of the people.

On local government elections, Rizvi said leaders at the union, upazila, thana and district levels would scrutinise all relevant matters and support competent candidates in the upcoming Union Parishad (UP) elections.

“This time, the election will not be held using party symbols,” he said.

Rizvi said party leaders, activists and supporters would stand behind the party-backed candidates and that a person supported by the party would certainly be elected.

Among others, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Administrator and member of the BNP chairman’s advisory council Abdus Salam, Water Resources Minister and BNP Joint Secretary General Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, Youth and Sports State Minister and BNP Dhaka North City unit convener Aminul Haque, BNP Joint Secretary General Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel, Advocate Abdus Salam Azad and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal President Rakibul Islam Rakib were present during the homage.

Leaders and activists from different levels and areas of BNP’s Dhaka North and South city units were also present.