“Mass turnout of party leaders and activists at Tarique Rahman’s Khulna rally”

After a long gap of 22 years, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman is coming to Khulna. He will address a rally at the Prabhati School ground in Khalishpur of the city on Monday (2 February) at 12 noon. However, party leaders and activists began gathering at the venue from early morning.

Many of them are carrying sheaves of paddy (BNP’s electoral symbol), some are holding portraits of Tarique Rahman, while others are waving the national flag. By 11:00 am, the rally ground had become packed to capacity.

According to Khulna Metropolitan BNP, Tarique Rahman will arrive in Khulna from Dhaka by helicopter at 11:00 am on Monday. He will then join the rally at the Prabhati School ground adjacent to Government Haji Muhammad Mohsin College at 12 noon. At 1:00 pm, he will depart Khulna by helicopter for Jashore. At 1:40 pm, he will join an election rally at Birampur Adarsha Government Primary School ground in the New Township area. At 2:40 pm, he will leave by helicopter for Dhaka.

Party sources said that at the rally, 14 BNP candidates from the greater Khulna district will be formally introduced to voters.

Leaders hope that, in addition to Khulna, a large number of people from Bagerhat, Satkhira and neighboring districts—Kushtia, Jhenaidah, Chuadanga, Meherpur, Narail, Magura and Jashore—will participate in the rally.

Tarique Rahman’s visit to Khulna has created a festive atmosphere among BNP leaders and activists and its associate organizations across the Khulna division. To attend the rally, leaders and activists are arriving from distant areas by buses, trucks, motorcycles and microbuses. Organizers expect that, with Tarique Rahman’s presence, the gathering will turn into the largest election rally in the southern region. Preparations have been underway for several days with a target of at least 500,000 attendees.

BNP-nominated paddy sheaf candidate for Khulna-2 constituency and former MP Nazrul Islam Manju said that the party chairperson will introduce all paddy sheaf candidates from three districts and the metropolitan area at the rally and speak about the development of Khulna and surrounding regions. He added that Tarique Rahman’s presence will reinvigorate the organizational strength of BNP in Khulna.