Election campaign begins: Tarique launches from Sylhet, Jamaat Ameer heads North

The official campaign for the upcoming national election begins on Thursday (January 22), with BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman launching his campaign from Sylhet, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman prepares to tour northern districts from Friday.

Tarique Rahman in Sylhet Tarique Rahman arrived in Sylhet late Wednesday night by air, accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman. This marks his first trip outside Dhaka since returning to the country.

He departed Dhaka at 7:20 pm on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight and, upon arrival, paid respects at the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shah Paran (RA). On Thursday at 11:30 am, he is scheduled to address an election rally at the Sylhet Alia Madrasa ground.

The BNP has made extensive preparations for the rally, the party’s first of the campaign. Sylhet city has been decorated with banners, festoons and billboards, while BNP leaders, activists and affiliated organisations have been holding daily processions to welcome him.

A 13-member BNP delegation travelled with Tarique Rahman and his wife. The group included BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan.

Following the Sylhet rally, Tarique Rahman is set to address consecutive rallies in Sherpur (Moulvibazar Sadar), Sarail (Brahmanbaria), Kishoreganj, Narsingdi, and Rupganj in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj.

Jamaat announces four-day campaign plan Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a four-day election campaign, starting Thursday. The schedule was shared at a press conference on Wednesday evening at the party’s central office in Moghbazar by Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer.

According to the plan, Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman will begin his campaign in the Dhaka-15 constituency with door-to-door outreach and a public rally at 2:30 pm.

He will then travel to northern Bangladesh. On Friday, starting at 11:00 am in Panchagarh, he will address rallies in Dinajpur and Thakurgaon before staying overnight in Rangpur.

On January 24, Dr Shafiqur Rahman will begin the day in Rangpur by paying respects at the grave of Shaheed Abu Saeed and meeting his family. He will then hold rallies in Palashbari (Gaibandha), Bogura town, Sherpur (Sirajganj) and Ullapara, before campaigning in Pabna in the evening.

Party sources said he will continue campaigning on Saturday, holding a roadside meeting in Mokamtala, Shibganj, and later addressing a rally at the historic Altafunnessa playground in Bogura town. Further programmes will be announced later.