Tarique Rahman leaves tonight for 17-district campaign trails, starts with Sylhet
Campaign to begin with visiting shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal and Shah Paran
Highlights
- BNP chief to address Sylhet rally at Chouhatta, then Moulvibazar and Habiganj gatherings
- Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi and Narayanganj scheduled en way abck to Dhaka
- Chattogram campaign to start on 24 January
- Following districts: Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, Cumilla
- Barishal and southern districts scheduled from 26 January
Ahead of the 13th national parliamentary elections, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to kick off his election campaign with a multi-district tour starting in Sylhet on 22 January. Party sources confirmed that the first phase will cover 17 districts, during which Tarique Rahman will address processions and public rallies across the country.
After arriving in Sylhet by plane on the night of 21 January, Tarique Rahman will begin the next day by visiting the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) and Hazrat Shah Paran (R), following a long-standing tradition upheld by both Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda Zia.
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He will then address a mass rally at the Alia Madrasa field in Chouhatta at 11am, before moving on to separate gatherings in Moulvibazar and Habiganj. On his return journey, he is also scheduled to speak at processions in Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi, and Narayanganj.
In a press conference organised by the Sylhet district and city BNP today (20 January), Sylhet BNP President Abdul Qayum Chowdhury told reporters that the city is fully prepared to welcome Tarique Rahman and that the rally aims to mobilise at least 300,000 people.
Banners, festoons, and billboards have already adorned the city, while party and affiliate groups are holding marches and local preparatory meetings from urban centres to rural areas.
The Alia Madrasa field has been prepared, with stage construction ongoing, and security arrangements are in place under Sylhet Metropolitan Police supervision. City Police Commissioner Abdul Quddus Chowdhury met with local BNP leaders to review safety protocols.
Ariful Haque Chowdhury, BNP adviser and candidate for Sylhet-4, expressed confidence that Sylhet residents will participate spontaneously. Sylhet BNP leader Faisal Ahmed Chowdhury said that party supporters and ordinary citizens are eagerly awaiting the return of their leader after a long absence.
Following the Sylhet tour, Tarique Rahman will visit Chattogram on 24 January, addressing a public rally at Polo Ground on 25 January before touring Feni, Noakhali, Lakshmipur, Chandpur, and Cumilla en route back to Dhaka. On 26 January, he will travel to Barishal, addressing a rally at Bells Park and meeting with party leaders from across the division before returning to Dhaka via Madaripur, Bhanga, and Munshiganj.
Barishal BNP's Organising Secretary Bilkis Jahan Shirin said full preparations have been made for the rally, with leaders from Bhola, Patuakhali, Barguna, Jhalokathi, and Pirojpur expected to attend. She added that nearly 20 years after his last visit, Tarique Rahman's return to Barishal has generated unprecedented enthusiasm, with supporters ready to make history during his campaign.
