Tarique Rahman in Sylhet ahead of rally tomorrow
The Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-2075 carrying Tarique landed at Sylhet Shahjalal International Airport at 7:56pm
BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman reached Sylhet this evening (21 January) ahead of the party's planned election campaign in the region tomorrow.
The Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-2075 carrying Tarique landed at Sylhet Shahjalal International Airport at 7:56pm. Tarique Rahman's motorcade departed the airport at around 8:15pm and proceeded to his hotel.
Earlier, he left his Gulshan residence in Dhaka at approximately 6:45pm.
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A 13-member delegation accompanied Tarique Rahman on the flight, including his wife Zubaida Rahman.
The group also comprised key party leaders and officials including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan, Tarique Rahman's private secretary Abdus Sattar, Chief Security Officer AKM Shamsul Alam, and BNP media cell member Atiqur Rahman Rumon.
Other members of the delegation included the secretary general's personal assistant Yunus Ali, Syed Moin Uddin Ahmed, Mia Nuruddin Apu, Saleh Shibli, Ahmed Ali, Md Kamal Uddin, and ANM Monowarul Karim.
Tarique visits shrines of Shahjalal, Shah Paran; offers prayer
Tarique Rahman visited the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA) in Sylhet.
The BNP chairman arrived at the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) at around 8:45pm.
Later, at about 9:05pm, he offered prayers beside the shrine, said BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan.
At around 9:30pm, he visited the grave of late General (retd) MAG Osmani, the first commander-in-chief of the Bangladesh Army, where he offered Fateha and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul. Islami Oikya Jote Chairman MA Rakib led the munajat.
A large number of party leaders and activists lined the road leading to the shrine, chanting slogans in support of BNP, the party's symbol – the sheaf of paddy – and Tarique Rahman.
Tarique Rahman was accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and several central and local party leaders during the visit.
After offering prayers at the shrine, he visited the grave of late General (retd) MAG Osmani, commander-in-chief of the Mukti Bahini during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, at around 9:30pm.
Following the shrine visit, he was scheduled to proceed to his in-laws' residence in Silam, South Surma, Sylhet.
As Tarique Rahman is set to address a huge rally at 10am tomorrow (22 January), a stage was set up on the eastern side of the Alia Madrasa ground.
The stage was built with a length of 80 feet, a width of about 30 feet, and a height of 6 feet.
From this afternoon, crowds of enthusiastic leaders and activists were seen gathering in front of the stage.
Meanwhile, all-out preparations have been taken by the BNP units of Sylhet and Sunamganj to welcome Tarique Rahman.
A festive atmosphere prevails among the local leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organisations centering on his arrival.
In 1978, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman addressed a rally at Alia Madrasa ground, and in 2013, late Begum Khaleda Zia, former BNP chairperson, also spoke there.
