Tarique Rahman, Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), arrived at a packed election rally in Thakurgaon on Saturday to outline a comprehensive vision for national reconstruction. Returning to the district for the first time in over 20 years, the opposition leader sought a public mandate for his party’s “dream Bangladesh” ahead of the general election scheduled for 12 February.
Tarique Rahman made a high-profile return to Thakurgaon on Saturday morning, arriving at the Thakurgaon Government High School ground at 11:30 am to a rapturous welcome. This visit, his first to the district since 2003, drew thousands of supporters and party activists who had gathered from across the northern Rangpur division. Addressing the crowd, the BNP Chairman reiterated his firm commitment to rebuilding the nation through the “support, love, and power” of the people, stressing that the upcoming polls are not merely about electing representatives but about determining the country’s democratic future.
Outlining his electoral pledges, Tarique Rahman promised to modernise the region by establishing sugar mills, ration factories, and a dedicated tea industry to boost local employment. He also addressed long-standing infrastructure demands, vowing that a BNP-led government would prioritise the inauguration of the local airport and the construction of an IT park and a cadet college in Thakurgaon. His speech focused heavily on economic dignity, ensuring that ordinary citizens and business owners could operate without fear, while pledging improved access to healthcare and education.
The rally opened with a significant display of communal harmony, featuring recitations from the Holy Quran, the Holy Gita, and the Holy Bible. Maulana Khalilur Rahman, Uma Shankar, and Father Jasim Murmu led the readings, reflecting a core campaign message of national unity. Mirza Faysal Amin, the president of the Thakurgaon district BNP, presided over the session, noting that the massive turnout served as a clear indicator of the public mood as the country prepares to head to the ballot box next Thursday.
Strategically, the event served as a show of strength for prominent BNP candidates in the region. Many supporters carried placards for Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, the party’s Secretary General and a candidate for Thakurgaon-1, who was described by the Chairman as instrumental in conveying local development needs to the central leadership. Other key candidates from the Thakurgaon and Panchagarh constituencies, including Abdus Salam and Zahidur Rahman Zahid, joined the Chairman on stage to seek votes for the party’s electoral symbol, the “Sheaf of Paddy”.
Reflecting on his historic connection to the area, Tarique Rahman reminded the gathering that he had launched the party’s union-level representative conferences from this very district in January 2003. He noted that the love and support shown by the people of Thakurgaon had remained unchanged over the decades. As the campaign enters its final days, the opposition leader urged party activists to remain vigilant against conspiracies that might obstruct the electoral process, calling on the interim government to ensure a transparent and fair transition.
.jpg "Former minister, Awami League leader Tofail Ahmed dies")
