BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has pledged to build permanent apartment buildings for residents of the Karail slum in Dhaka if his party comes to power. He said families currently living in makeshift houses would be provided with registered flats in multi-storey buildings constructed in the same area.

He made the commitment on Tuesday afternoon while addressing a prayer gathering organised by Karail residents at the T&T ground in Mohakhali. The event was held to seek blessings for the departed soul of BNP Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Addressing the slum dwellers, Tarique Rahman said the party is aware of their daily struggles, particularly housing insecurity. He stated that BNP aims to gradually resolve these problems by developing high-rise residential buildings and allocating small flats in the names of current residents.

Karail, considered the largest slum in the capital, emerged in the 1990s after occupying around 93 acres of land owned by three government agencies. An estimated 40,000 households of low-income families currently live there.

In addition to housing, Tarique Rahman also promised initiatives to improve education and healthcare in the area. He said BNP plans to establish schools for children, along with playgrounds and recreational facilities. He also outlined a plan to ensure accessible healthcare services by setting up local clinics and hospitals so residents would not need to travel far for treatment.

Tarique Rahman attended the prayer programme along with his wife, Zubaida Rahman.

Karail falls within the Dhaka-17 constituency, where Tarique Rahman is contesting in the upcoming parliamentary election. Formal campaigning is scheduled to begin on January 22, following the allocation of election symbols.

Referring to the election, Tarique Rahman said he hopes to implement his plans with faith and sincerity, regardless of potential political obstacles.