Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman has officially launched his election campaign in Sylhet, seeking votes for the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ (Dhaner Shish) symbol during a visit to his in-laws’ house. Addressing the local residents, he pledged to revive the nationwide canal-digging program to transform the country’s agricultural economy.
“Just as Dr. Zubaida Rahman is your daughter, I am also your son,” Tarique Rahman said during a gathering at his in-laws’ residence in Biraimpur, South Surma, around 1:00 AM on Wednesday. “I have a request to you—ensure the victory of the Sheaf of Paddy from this constituency on the 12th. I leave this promise with you.”
Focus on Agriculture and Youth
The BNP Chairman emphasized that his party’s politics centers on changing the destiny of the common people. He announced that if elected, the BNP government would introduce ‘Family Cards’ for general citizens and ‘Farmer Cards’ to provide direct support to the agricultural community.
“To ensure irrigation and improve the lives of our farmers, we will restart the ‘Canal Digging’ program initiated by former President Ziaur Rahman,” he declared. “This will bring a revolutionary change to our rural economy.”
Addressing the large expatriate community from Sylhet, Tarique Rahman highlighted plans for human resource development. “We will establish advanced training centers in every district so our youth can go abroad as skilled professionals. This will ensure better wages, increased remittances, and a stronger national economy,” he added.
Restoring Voting Rights
Reflecting on the political climate of the last decade and a half, the BNP Chairman stated that the people of Bangladesh had been deprived of their freedom of speech and voting rights for 16 years.
“We want to restore those rights. This election is about handing the key of power back to the people,” he told the cheering crowd.
Arrival and Tribute
Tarique Rahman arrived in Sylhet on Wednesday evening at approximately 8:00 PM. His first stop was the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (R.) and Hazrat Shah Paran (R.), where he offered prayers.
Upon reaching his in-laws’ house at 12:40 AM, he was greeted with flowers by relatives, local residents, and party activists. Accompanied by his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Rahman, he participated in a prayer session (doa mahfil) seeking eternal peace for the soul of his mother and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.
