The public rally started at 10:00am, and around 11:00am BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman is scheduled to deliver his speech as the chief guest.

At this very field, the party’s recently deceased chairperson Khaleda Zia had held election rallies on several occasions.

Organised by the Sylhet District and Metropolitan BNP, along with the Sunamganj District BNP, the rally venue has already become packed with leaders, activists, and supporters. The field has turned into a sea of people, many of whom had attended Khaleda Zia’s rallies in the past and have come today to see her son, Tarique Rahman.

BNP leaders say that starting election campaigns from Sylhet is a long-standing tradition of the party. BNP founder and martyred president Ziaur Rahman and former chairperson Khaleda Zia also used to begin their election campaigns by visiting the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) and Hazrat Shah Paran (R), followed by their first election rally at the Alia Madrasa ground.

Earlier, around 8:00pm last night (Wednesday), Tarique Rahman arrived in Sylhet by air. After his arrival, he paid visits to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) and Hazrat Shah Paran (R).

The official campaign for the 13th National Parliamentary Election began across the country on Thursday (22 January).