Late BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia last addressed a public meeting held at the Polo Ground in Chattogram City on January 9, 2012. After 14 years, her son Tarique Rahman will address the same ground as the party's chairman on Sunday, January 25. On this occasion, a grand meeting has been organized at 11 am by the Chittagong Metropolitan, North and South District BNP.
Tarique Rahman is coming to Chattogram after a long 20 years and 7 months to join the rally. The party's leaders and activists want to attract 'more than 2 million' people to this rally. It is learned that Tarique Rahman last came to Chattogram on May 6, 2005. At that time, he was the Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP. He was declared the party chairman on January 9. As a result, this is the first time he is coming to Chattogram as the party chief. Besides, during his last visit to Chattogram in 2005, he was present at a meeting organized to seek votes for BNP mayoral candidate Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin in the City Corporation elections. As such, he will address the first major rally in Chittagong after two decades. Meanwhile, there is enthusiasm and excitement among BNP leaders and activists surrounding the arrival of party chief Tarique Rahman and the rally at the polo ground. They claim that in addition to party workers, ordinary people will participate in the rally. BNP has held preparatory meetings in stages to make the rally a success. Various sub-committees have also been formed. In addition, the rally campaign is being carried out in cities and upazilas.
BNP leaders say that Tarique Rahman's arrival will give momentum to BNP's campaign in the 13th parliamentary elections. From the rally, he can instruct leaders and activists to work together to make the party's candidates win. He will also seek votes for rice grains from the general public by highlighting BNP's future work plan. BNP leaders claim that ordinary people will come to the rally. Because even on the day of Tarique Rahman's return to his homeland, ordinary people have gathered at 300 feet in Purbachal in the capital. Similarly, ordinary people will rush to see him in Chittagong. They will be 'excited' after hearing his plans and statements about the country. The party's leaders and activists hope that BNP will reap its benefits in the election field.
Ershad Ullah, convener of Chattogram City BNP, said that Tarique Rahman will arrive in Chattogram from Dhaka by plane on the night of January 24. He will be present at the grand rally at the Polo Ground on January 25 at 11 am, and the rally will be concluded by 12 noon. After addressing the rally, he will travel from Chittagong to Feni by road. After addressing the rally there, he will address a few public meetings in Comilla and Narayanganj. He will then return to Dhaka at night.He said, in 2005, in the City Corporation elections, Tarique Rahman came to Chittagong to participate in the campaign of Mir Md. Nasir. After that, he has not come to Chittagong for the last 20 years. Since he has been inaugurated as the chairman of BNP, it is the moral responsibility of all the leaders and activists of our party, including its organs and associate organizations, to welcome our leader Tarique Rahman to Chattogram.
He said, since there are no restrictions in the election code of conduct, he will be able to speak at the rally and he will have the democratic right to talk about the election. I hope that the general public of Chittagong will be present at the Polo Ground and I request everyone to listen to his important speech and the directions he is giving regarding the election.
Mayor and Venue Head of Chattogram City Corporation Dr. Shahadat Hossain said, 'Considering the large crowd at the rally, at least 10 LED screens will be installed outside the Polo Ground. Three hundred microphones will be installed. Screens will be installed in various places in the city, including in front of the important area of Radiation Blue, Sat Rast Intersection, Kadamtali Intersection, Dastagir Chattar (Kadamtali), CRB Sirishtala, Tiger Pass Intersection. People from all walks of life who come to the rally will be able to easily watch on these screens.
Chattogram City BNP Member Secretary Nazimur Rahman said that 2 million people will gather at the Polo Ground. After a long time, our chairman is coming to Chittagong. Apart from the party leaders and activists, the common people will also participate spontaneously around his arrival. A crowd of people will descend on the Polo Ground.
He said that the news of Tarique Rahman's arrival in Chattogram has created special excitement among both the party leaders and activists and the common people. Under his leadership, the party's struggle will be stronger and the ongoing election situation in the country will be transparent and strong.
Muhammad Shahed, former vice-president of the Central Jubo Dal (Chattogram Division), said that the leader is coming to Chattogram after many years. Naturally, everyone is excited and happy. Jubo Dal will be present at the Pologrind rally. Every worker at the marginal level of Jubo Dal will participate in the rally. I hope that lakhs of Jubo Dal workers will participate in the rally in the metropolis and the north and south districts. Jubo Dal has made various preparations for the rally.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the city BNP met with Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Hasib Aziz regarding the overall security of the rally. The Police Commissioner held cordial discussions with the delegation led by Metropolitan BNP Convener Alhaj Ershad Ullah and Member Secretary Nazimur Rahman. The Police Commissioner assured full cooperation to the BNP leaders for providing overall security for the rally.
According to several BNP sources, BNP has conducted extensive campaigning and mass mobilization in 15 upazilas of the district in addition to Chittagong metropolis to make the rally a success. In addition, BNP candidates for 16 parliamentary constituencies in Chattogram have been conducting uninterrupted activities for the past few days. BNP candidates have worked to attract large crowds from every ward and upazila of Chittagong city.
It is worth noting that Tarique Rahman was scheduled to go on a four-day tour of nine districts of North Bengal on January 11 as part of his 'religious and social' program. In the second phase, he was scheduled to come to Chattogram via Cox's Bazar on January 18. He was also scheduled to participate in a prayer meeting organized for Begum Khaleda Zia at the Jamiatul Falah Mosque in Chattogram city on that day. Later, the tour was postponed at the request of the Election Commission.
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