Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Tarique Rahman addressed a large public rally in the port city of Chattogram on Sunday, marking his first appearance at a rally in the city in nearly two decades.
Thousands of BNP supporters gathered at the Polo Ground as part of Rahman’s ongoing election campaign. Party leaders said supporters began arriving in processions early in the morning, and by around 10:00am the venue had reached full capacity.
Rahman last addressed a public rally in Chattogram on May 6, 2005, at the Laldighi ground, when he served as the party’s senior joint secretary general. His return to the city comes during a nationwide campaign in his current role as BNP chairperson.
BNP candidates from parliamentary constituencies in Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, and the Chattogram Hill Tracts were present at the rally. The event was chaired by Mohammad Ershad Ullah, convenor of the BNP’s Chattogram city unit.
Earlier in the day, Rahman participated in a “Youth Policy Talk” with university and college students at a city hotel. He later travelled to the rally venue through busy areas of Chattogram, drawing large crowds along the route.
Rahman formally launched his election campaign last week with a public meeting at the government Alia Madrasa in Sylhet.
Following the Chattogram rally, he is scheduled to address additional election meetings at Feni Pilot School ground at 4:00pm, Chauddagram High School ground in Cumilla at 5:30pm, Digbaji ground in Suwagazi at 7:00pm, Daudkandi Eidgah ground at 7:30pm, and Kanchpur Balurmath at 11:30pm.
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