BNP rally: leaders and activists arrive at Chattogram venue

Defying the harsh cold, BNP leaders and activists have started arriving at the rally venue in groups. Many of them are carrying photographs of BNP chairperson Tarique Rahman, while others are holding sheaves of paddy, the party’s electoral symbol.

This scene was observed around 8:30 am on Sunday in areas including Tigerpass intersection, CRB and Kadamtali in Chattogram city.

Tarique Rahman is scheduled to address the rally as the chief guest at the city’s Polo Ground around 11:30 am today, Sunday. An atmosphere of festivity prevails among BNP leaders and activists and those of its affiliated organisations in Chattogram ahead of his arrival.

Tarique Rahman began campaigning for the 13th national parliamentary election with a public rally in Sylhet last Thursday. The following day, Friday, he held a rally in Dhaka. He arrived in Chattogram on Saturday night. As he is visiting Chattogram after a long gap of 20 years, enthusiasm among party leaders and activists is high.

On-the-spot observation around 9:00 am showed leaders and activists gathering near the stage on the western side of the Polo Ground. On the stage were former Chattogram city BNP general secretary Abul Hashem, Chhatra Dal leader Gazi Siraj, and leaders and activists from various levels. Party workers were entering the field in groups, chanting various slogans.

Nazmul Hossain, a BNP activist who came from Boalkhali, told Prothom Alo that he had left Boalkhali at 7:00 am and reached the rally venue by 8:30 am. Asked why he came so early, he said, “I want to see my beloved leader (Tarique Rahman) face to. That’s why I came early to get a seat close to the stage. Coming in the morning gave me that chance.”

Abdul Qader, who came from Karnaphuli upazila, said he had only seen Tarique Rahman on television and did not want to miss the opportunity to see him in person. That is why he has been sitting there since morning.

Meanwhile, crowds of leaders and activists heading to the rally were also seen gathering at various intersections, including Oxygen Mor, Gate no. 2, Muradpur, New Bridge and Alankar Mor. Some were walking, while others were travelling in vehicles, chanting slogans as they made their way to the rally venue.

Nazimur Rahman, member secretary of the Chattogram city BNP, told Prothom Alo that leaders and activists from various parts of the city and district had started arriving to make the rally successful.

He said activists from nearby upazilas had arrived in the city the previous night. According to him, they expect a turnout of at least one million people at the rally.

Assistant Commissioner (Media) of the city police, Aminur Rashid, told Prothom Alo that police security had been strengthened at the Polo Ground, surrounding areas and the stadium zone of the city. A three-tier security arrangement has been put in place for the rally. Additional traffic police personnel have been deployed to avoid congestion around the venue.

The late BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia last addressed a rally at the Polo Ground in Chattogram on 9 January 2012. Fourteen years later, her son Tarique Rahman is scheduled to speak at the same venue as the party’s chairperson.

Tarique Rahman last visited Chattogram on 6 May 2005, when he was the BNP’s senior joint secretary general. He was declared the party’s chairperson on 9 January this year.

As a result, this is his first visit to Chattogram as the party chief. During his 2005 visit, he addressed a meeting organised to seek votes for BNP mayoral candidate Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin in the city corporation election. By that count, after a gap of 20 years, Tarique Rahman is set to address a major public rally in Chattogram.

Meanwhile, Tarique Rahman will join six election rallies in four districts, including Chattogram. After the Polo Ground rally, he will travel to Feni in the afternoon, where he is scheduled to address a rally at the Feni Pilot School playground at 4:00 pm.

At 5:30 pm, he will attend another rally at Chauddagram High School field in Cumilla district. He will hold two more rallies in Cumilla—one at 7:00 pm at Suagazi Digbaji playground and another at 7:30 pm at the central Eidgah field in Daudkandi. On his way back to Dhaka from Cumilla, the BNP chairperson is scheduled to attend a rally in Narayanganj at 11:30 pm at the Kanchpur Balu field.