Tarique Rahman to launch election campaign with Sylhet tour

BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to embark on a hectic two-day tour of Sylhet tonight (Wednesday) to formally begin his party’s election campaign for the 13th national parliamentary election, following the party’s long-standing tradition.

“Since the election campaign is scheduled to begin tomorrow (Thursday) as per the announced timetable, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is going to launch it through a visit to Sylhet. He will reach Sylhet by air at 8:15pm tonight,” said BNP Election Steering Committee spokesperson Mahdi Amin.

After reaching Sylhet, he said, the BNP Chairman will visit the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) late at night and offer fateha there.

Mahdi, who is also an adviser to the BNP Chairman, shared the detailed tour programmes at a press briefing held at the party’s election office in the Gulshan area.

On Thursday morning, Mahdi said Tarique Rahman will address his first election rally at the Sylhet Alia Madrasa ground.

Later in the day, he said the BNP Chairman will attend a rally at Ainpur playground in Sherpur area of Moulvibazar Sadar upazila at noon.

On his way, Mahdi said Tarique will also join a rally at the proposed new Upazila Parishad ground in Shayestaganj upazila of Habiganj district.

The BNP spokesman said Tarique will then proceed to Brahmanbaria, where he is scheduled to address a rally at Kuttapara Football Ground in Sarail upazila.

In the afternoon, he said, the BNP Chairman will attend another election rally at Bhairab Stadium in Kishoreganj.

On Tarique’s way back to Dhaka, Mahdi said, the BNP Chief will join a roadside election rally in the Narsingdi municipal area before attending a similar gathering at the Araihazar–Rupganj Gausia area in Narayanganj district.

He said Tarique is expected to return to his residence at Gulshan late at night.

Mahdi said the party has already informed the concerned district administrations and returning officers of Sylhet, Sunamganj, Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Narsingdi, Narayanganj and Dhaka through official letters.

He also said the respective police departments and other authorities have been notified in advance.

Since the formation of BNP, party founder Ziaur Rahman began his presidential election campaign from Sylhet, while Begum Khaleda Zia also launched all her election campaigns from the city starting in 1991. Following that tradition, Tarique Rahman will begin his campaign with shrine visits, party leaders said.

Sylhet BNP leaders said Tarique Rahman last visited the city in 2005, when he attended a BNP union representatives’ conference as the party’s senior joint secretary general.

After spending 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom, Tarique Rahman returned home with his family on 25 December. A few days later, on 30 December, his mother and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia passed away while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital.