BNP holds meeting over Tarique Rahman’s Sylhet visit, aims for massive turnout
The BNP has begun preparations for party chairperson Tarique Rahman’s visit to Sylhet on 22 January.
The party is aiming to draw a massive crowd—running into the hundreds of thousands—at its first election rally on that day. Local BNP leaders and activists have already started various activities, including preparatory meetings.
Sylhet district BNP president Abdul Qaiyum Chowdhury told Prothom Alo that this would be the BNP chairperson’s first visit outside Dhaka since returning to the country.
“With the 13th parliamentary election ahead, the BNP’s first election-focused rally will be held in Sylhet. That is why the party is working locally to ensure a gathering of at least 300,000 people,” he said.
BNP leaders and activists said that formal campaigning for the parliamentary election will begin on 22 January. On the previous night, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to arrive in Sylhet by air.
The next morning, he will begin his campaign by visiting the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA). Later, at 11:00 am, he will address a public rally as the chief guest at the Alia Madrasah field in the city’s Chowhatta area.
Sources said that BNP candidates from Sylhet and Sunamganj districts, along with leaders and activists from various levels, will attend the election rally at the Alia Madrasa field. After the rally, Tarique Rahman will depart for Dhaka by road.
On the way, he will also address two more public meetings as chief guest—one at Sherpur in Moulvibazar and another at Shayestaganj in Habiganj—where he will formally introduce the party’s parliamentary candidates from the respective districts.
Three senior BNP leaders said the party has decided to further intensify neighbourhood-level campaigning to engage not only party workers but also the general public in the rallies.
There are plans to demonstrate organisational strength by ensuring large gatherings around the rally venue, key locations in Sylhet city, and along the roads and highways that Tarique Rahman will travel. In short, the BNP aims to stage a major show of strength in Sylhet around its first election campaign event.
Meanwhile, both the BNP and its student wing, Chhatra Dal, have held separate preparatory meetings to ensure the success of the Alia Madrasa field rally. At these meetings, party leaders instructed activists at all levels to remain united, disciplined, and responsible, alongside making maximum efforts to ensure a large turnout.
A preparatory meeting organised by Sylhet district BNP was held late Wednesday night in the city’s Mendibagh area, with district president Abdul Qaiyum Choudhury presiding.
The meeting, conducted by district general secretary Emran Ahmed Chowdhury, was addressed by BNP chairperson’s advisers Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Tahsina Rushdi Luna, MA Malik, Enamul Haque Chowdhury, and central assistant organising secretary Miftah Siddique.
Addressing the meeting, Abdul Qaiyum Choudhury said, “Tarique Rahman’s Sylhet visit is extremely significant. Even during the period of fascist rule, we successfully organised mass rallies by defying fear and intimidation. The soil of Sylhet has always stood for democracy and nationalism. This time too, we must ensure the success of Tarique Rahman’s visit and election rally through unity and discipline.”
Separately, Sylhet district and metropolitan Chhatra Dal also held another preparatory meeting to make the visit successful. That meeting took place yesterday, Thursday, at 12 noon in the city’s Topkhana area, where BNP-nominated candidate for Sylhet-1 (city and sadar constituency) Khondaker Abdul Mukhtadir spoke as the chief guest.