BNP gears up for polls — preps ongoing from grassroots to top brass 

Infographics: TBS

Highlights: 

• BNP shifts full focus to February 2026 polls after Tarique-Yunus meeting clears air
• Grassroots electioneering revived with party-wide directives
• BNP to finalise 'clean-image' nominees for all 300 constituencies by July-August
• Bogura BNP ready with 110 polling centre teams; local enthusiasm builds
• Election mood grows as potential BNP candidates step up field-level visibility

Following the disappearance of the smokescreen over the election timeline after the CA Yunus-Tarique Rahman London meeting, the BNP is now pouring a whole lot of its concentration only on the next parliamentary polls, keeping a possible February 2026 schedule in mind.

The BNP, that last formed government nearly two and a half decades ago in 2001, has actually started field work for elections and a revival of its organisational spirit at the grassroots after the 5 August ouster of the Awami League government last year, say party insiders. 

The party believes that the declaration of the "July Charter", implementing necessary state reforms and spearheading trial of the July Movement killings— are all possible to be carried out before a February 2026 election if only the interim government remains earnest.

Talking to the BNP's senior leaders and those at the grassroots, it has been learned that after 5 August 2024, there were directives from the party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman, to form the party's electioneering committees at upazila, union and ward levels. Leaders and activists have since been carrying out activities accordingly.

Currently, in areas where such electioneering committees are yet to be formed, there is instruction from the top brass to complete them by July.

The BNP's top-brass say the party has worked for months to mobilise public support for national elections with a December timeframe in mind.

Nominations only for clean-image bearers

According to sources within the BNP's high-command, the party's top brass and grassroots are now having busy times organising the electoral field, including selecting candidates for 300 constituencies. In the next polls, candidates bearing a "clean image" will be nominated, and the party's acting chairman has already engaged himself in the seat-wise plan, a source told The Business Standard.

A list of candidates will be prepared, including those who were nominated and who have secured initial nomination in the 2018 polls, and the devoted party men possessing a clean image from the 11th parliamentary election until the 12th parliamentary election and specially those actively involved in the party's movements post-October 2023 period.

Work on preparing the draft will be completed by July-August, says a source within the BNP.

Although the party has yet to give anyone a formal nod, potential candidates have increased their activities at field level in respective constituencies, and are running various social and political activities to attract the attention of the party's high command.

Talking to TBS, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, "The BNP is an election-oriented party. The party was voted by the people and has governed the country several times in the past. Preparing for elections is a constant idea for the BNP."

"Now that the possible schedule for the elections is announced, the BNP will finalise its candidates immediately after the schedule is announced by the Election Commission, and work is underway to this end."

'Bogura people looking forward to exercise franchise'

Leaders and activists of the party in Bogura, the district often dubbed the stronghold of the BNP, say they are all looking forward to the next national polls. 

"The party's voting ground in Bogura is already ready, and people are looking forward to voting for the BNP. The election atmosphere will take shape once the Election Commission announces the schedule," Rezaul Karim Badsha, president of Bogura district BNP, told TBS.

Meer Shahe Alam, president of Shibganj upazila BNP and vice president of the district BNP, told TBS that they have formed committees for 110 probable polling centres in the Bogura-2 constituency, each comprising 101 members. They will carry out electioneering for the candidates – from seeking votes to performing duties at the polling stations.

'The goal is already in sight'

BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed said people in the country have waited a long time for free and fair elections, and now that the goal is in sight. 

Salahuddin lauded both Muhammad Yunus and Tarique Rahman, saying that the two had shown wisdom during their London meeting, where a consensus was reached that the polls could be held in mid-February.

Party sources say during the 2018 parliamentary election, the BNP adopted a strategy of picking three to four candidates for each seat, due to a dilemma over whether the party will be able to contest the election, and over possible rejection of candidacies.

However, sources say the party believes that it will not have to face a recurrence of a 2018-like situation during the next polls. In the next election, each constituency will see only one nominated BNP candidate, and all levels of the party will be directed to work on the respective nominees' behalf.