Tarique to launch election campaign Jan 22 from Sylhet

BNP chief Tarique Rahman has set January 22 to officially start his election campaign for the parliamentary polls, a day after the allocation of electoral symbols, reports bdnews24.com.

Senior party figures confirmed that the campaign will begin in Sylhet, upholding a longstanding BNP tradition.

A member of the BNP Standing Committee explained that party heads have historically launched their electioneering from the region, and Tarique intends to follow this precedent.

The programme is scheduled to open with visits to the shrines of Shahjalal and Shah Paran.

Having lived in the UK for more than 17 years in self-imposed exile, Tarique's return to Bangladesh on Dec 25, 2025 signalled a major political reset.

The death of his mother, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, on Dec 30, left a leadership vacuum that the BNP Standing Committee filled on Friday night.

By appointing him chairman, the party has formally transitioned its top leadership to the next generation.

Tarique is slated to run for parliament from the Bogura-6 and Dhaka-17 seats, anchoring the party's presence in both the capital and its traditional northern stronghold.

Addressing a gathering of newspaper editors at a Dhaka hotel on Saturday, the BNP leader spoke of his responsibilities with the polls looming.