Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to begin a four-day visit to the country’s northern region on Sunday, January 11, as part of a program focused on religious, social, and commemorative activities, party officials have said.
BNP sources confirmed on Wednesday that the party has formally informed the relevant deputy commissioners and returning officers about the visit. A letter outlining the itinerary was sent by ABM Abdus Sattar, personal secretary to the acting BNP chairman, to officials in Dhaka, Gazipur, Tangail, Sirajganj, Bogura, Gaibandha, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, and Kurigram.
According to the letter, Tarique Rahman will visit the graves of individuals who died during the July uprising and earlier democratic movements, take part in prayer gatherings, and attend religious and social programmes held in memory of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia. The party stated that the purpose of the visit is to honour the lives lost and to offer prayers for the deceased.
The BNP has emphasised that the program is entirely religious and social in nature and will not breach the Election Commission's code of conduct. The party has requested necessary security arrangements and cooperation from local administrations to ensure the visit proceeds smoothly.
Under the planned itinerary, Tarique Rahman will travel from Dhaka to Bogura on 11 January, passing through Tangail and Sirajganj, where he is expected to stay overnight. On 12 January, he will continue to Thakurgaon via Rangpur’s Pirganj area and Dinajpur. After spending the night in Thakurgaon, he is scheduled to travel to Rangpur on January 13, via Panchagarh, Nilphamari, and Lalmonirhat. The visit will conclude on 14 January, when he returns to Dhaka via Bogura’s Gabtali area.
Party officials said the programme includes visits to the graves of prominent figures, including Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, July uprising martyr Abu Saeed, and Tarique Rahman’s maternal grandmother, the late Tayeba Majumdar, as well as other martyrs of democratic movements.
In addition to visiting graveyards and attending prayer events, Tarique Rahman is expected to hold courtesy meetings with families of those killed and injured during the July uprising. BNP leaders say the visit reflects the party’s effort to honour the sacrifices made during democratic struggles and to maintain close contact with affected families.
The visit comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the upcoming national election, with parties across the spectrum engaging in programmes across the country.
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