Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman is set to begin his party’s election campaign from Sylhet on Thursday, with local leaders predicting a large turnout as preparations intensify across the city.
The visit follows a long-standing BNP tradition of launching major political campaigns from Sylhet and marks Tarique Rahman’s return to the city after nearly two decades, a factor party officials say has contributed to heightened public interest.
According to BNP leaders, Tarique Rahman is expected to arrive in Sylhet late Wednesday night. His programme on Thursday will begin with visits to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal and Hazrat Shah Paran, before he addresses his first election rally at the Government Alia Madrasa ground later in the morning.
The city has taken on a festive appearance in the lead-up to the visit. Banners, festoons and posters welcoming the BNP chairman have been placed around the Alia Madrasa area and along major roads, while party activists continue campaign activities including leaflet distribution and microphone announcements.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Sylhet district and metropolitan BNP leaders said organisational preparations for the rally were nearing completion. They described the event as significant, both symbolically and politically, as it will be Tarique Rahman’s first public rally since the formal start of election campaigning.
BNP Chairman’s Adviser Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said the party was coordinating closely with local organisers and law enforcement agencies to ensure the programme proceeds smoothly. He added that special focus had been placed on crowd management and security at the Alia Madrasa ground and surrounding areas.
BNP Organising Secretary GK Gaus said Tarique Rahman is scheduled to address the Sylhet rally at around 11:30 am. During the event, BNP and alliance-nominated candidates for six parliamentary constituencies in Sylhet and five in neighbouring Sunamganj are expected to be introduced.
Following the Sylhet rally, Tarique Rahman will travel by road to Moulvibazar, where he is due to address a public meeting in Sherpur and formally introduce candidates for the district’s constituencies. Later in the day, he is scheduled to attend a separate programme in Habiganj, where candidates for the district’s four parliamentary seats will be presented.
A visit to the Alia Madrasa ground on Tuesday showed extensive preparations underway. Organisers were seen levelling the field and completing construction of the main stage on the eastern side of the venue. Party officials said around 80 per cent of the stage work had already been completed, with bamboo barricades created in front of the podium and special seating arrangements being made, including reserved areas for families of those killed or injured during the July movement.
BNP Chairman’s Adviser and former Sylhet City Corporation mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury said Tarique Rahman’s decision to launch the campaign from Sylhet by visiting the city’s revered shrines carried symbolic importance. He expressed confidence that the rally would draw a substantial crowd, including supporters from across the region as well as representatives of BNP’s political allies.
Security arrangements have also been stepped up ahead of the visit. Sylhet Metropolitan Police said a multi-layered security plan has been put in place, covering rally venues and travel routes. Police spokesman Mohammad Saiful Islam said ensuring the safety of the programme was part of the force’s responsibility, adding that both uniformed and plain-clothed officers would be deployed.
The Sylhet visit comes as political parties across Bangladesh intensify campaigning ahead of the general election, with rallies and public meetings expected to gather pace in the coming weeks.
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