Mirza Fakhrul meets in Gulshan BNP nomination aspirants from Sylhet division

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has held a meeting with party nomination aspirants from the Sylhet division ahead of the forthcoming national parliamentary elections.

The meeting took place at the party chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm today, Sunday.

Around 80 nomination seekers from the 19 constituencies of Sylhet’s four districts were present in the meeting.

Confirming the meeting to Prothom Alo, Miftah Siddiqi, the party’s assistant organising secretary, said, “No individual has yet been finalised as the party’s sole candidate. The secretary general conveyed the message that, regardless of who receives the nomination under the ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol, everyone must work together in unity. There can be no internal division.”

Several nomination aspirants who attended the meeting told Prothom Alo that the secretary general first met with probable candidates from Sunamganj, followed by those from Sylhet, Moulvibazar, and Habiganj, holding separate discussions with each group.

During the sessions, Mirza Fakhrul gave specific directives, urging all to work collectively to ensure the victory of whichever candidate the party eventually nominates.

Many of the aspirants also highlighted their political activities and organisational contributions in the localities to Mirza Fakhrul, while the secretary general listened attentively.

Despite being invited, Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, a nomination aspirant from Sylhet-1 (City and Sadar), and Nasir Uddin Chowdhury from Sunamganj-2 (Dirai and Shalla), could not attend the meeting as they were abroad.

According to party sources, Ariful Haque Chowdhury, former mayor of Sylhet City Corporation and adviser to the BNP chairperson, had been invited to the meeting as a potential candidate for Sylhet-4 (Gowainghat, Companiganj, and Jaintiapur). However, during the meeting, he informed the secretary general that he was in fact seeking nomination for Sylhet-1, not Sylhet-4.

Meeting insiders reported that Mirza Fakhrul also conveyed several messages from BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman to the aspirants.

He told them that the party would select its final nominees based on multiple surveys, choosing the most popular and widely acceptable leaders.

He also warned that any individual attempting to cause disorder or harm to the party’s image would face strict organisational action. In short, he emphasised, “everyone must remain united under the sheaf of paddy.”

Following the meeting, Abdul Qayum Chowdhury, president of the Sylhet district unit BNP and a nomination aspirant for Sylhet-3 (South Surma, Fenchuganj, and Balaganj), told Prothom Alo, “The secretary general instructed all nomination aspirants to campaign in support of the sheaf of paddy. He also assured us that, at the right time, the party will nominate only the most competent candidates.”

In the months leading up to the election, multiple BNP leaders across the 19 constituencies of Sylhet division have been vying for nominations, showcasing their grassroots strength through various programmes and rallies. This has at times led to both overt and covert internal rivalries at the local level.

According to party insiders, the responsibility for overseeing the selection and evaluation of BNP candidates in Sylhet Division has been entrusted to Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir himself.

The purpose of Sunday’s meeting was primarily to engage directly with all nomination seekers and convey the central leadership’s expectations.

The Secretary General’s core message to the aspirants was clear: once the party finalises a single candidate for each seat, all personal grievances must be set aside, and every member must work together to secure victory for the BNP’s official nominee.