BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman has arrived in Sylhet as part of a two-day visit to formally kick off his party’s election campaign ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. After nearly 21 years, he landed at Sylhet MAG Osmani International Airport at 7:56 pm on Wednesday (January 21) on a Bangladesh Biman flight.

He was received at the airport by senior leaders of the BNP from the central, district and metropolitan units. After completing airport formalities, Rahman left for the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) at around 8:30 pm under tight security, travelling in a much-discussed bulletproof red bus.

Thousands of party activists and ordinary people lined both sides of the road from the airport to the shrine to welcome him. Due to the massive crowd and emotional reception, the bus moved slowly and reached the shrine area around 9:00 pm, nearly an hour later. He had to wait for about 30 minutes at the shrine gate as authorities worked to manage the situation.

At the shrine, Tarique Rahman offered fateha, performed ziyarat and took part in special prayers. He later offered Nafl and Esha prayers at the shrine mosque and paid homage by offering fateha at the grave of General MAG Osmani, the Commander-in-Chief of the Bangladesh Armed Forces during the Liberation War.

Around 10:00 pm, Rahman proceeded towards the shrine of Hazrat Shah Paran (R). Despite the short distance, it took nearly an hour to reach the destination due to heavy crowds and the use of alternative routes. He arrived at the shrine at around 11:00 pm and completed the ziyarat.

Tarique Rahman is accompanied on the visit by his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and other senior party leaders.

Following long-standing political tradition, the BNP is set to launch its formal election campaign from Sylhet. On Thursday morning, Tarique Rahman will address a mass rally at the Alia Madrasa ground, marking the official start of campaigning for the party’s electoral symbol, the sheaf of paddy. Candidates nominated by the party and its allies for 11 parliamentary constituencies in Sylhet and Sunamganj regions are expected to be introduced at the rally.

Meanwhile, a festive atmosphere prevails across Sylhet city centring Rahman’s arrival, while law enforcement agencies have put in place heightened security measures. BNP leaders believe the Sylhet rally will emerge as a significant political milestone amid the country’s evolving political landscape.