Photo: Collected
BNP Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman gave party leaders a number of directives at an organisational meeting held at a hotel in Chattogram city on Tuesday night. In his speech as chief guest, he spoke of supporting qualified candidates who can win local government elections.
His other directives include playing a role in building a new Bangladesh, assisting the administration in maintaining law and order, and staying united. This information was learnt by speaking with several BNP leaders present at the meeting.
The meeting was conducted by city BNP member secretary Nazimur Rahman and presided over by convener Ershad Ullah. Top-level leaders of Chattogram city, north and south district BNP and its associate bodies took part in it; central leaders of the party were also present. Tarique Rahman joined the meeting after exchanging greetings with Hindu devotees at the JM Sen Hall puja pavilion in the city, and the meeting ended around 11:00pm.
Nazimur Rahman told Bangladesh Pratidin that the BNP chairman told the leaders present that the local government elections would not be like those of the fascist era; the government or the party would not interfere in these elections in any way. So support must be given only to candidates who are acceptable locally and can come through as winners.
Leaders were also told to assist the law enforcement agencies and the administration together with distinguished members of society. The fragile law and order situation that BNP inherited when it came to power cannot be improved by the law enforcement agencies alone; for this reason leaders and activists must assist the force along with the people of their areas. At the same time, the party chairman asked them to be careful that no leader or activist of the party gets involved in injustice or crime.
Nazimur Rahman also said Tarique Rahman gave a directive for leaders and activists to stay united. Noting that razakars, fascism and autocracy could unite at any time, the party chief called on leaders and activists to remain alert at all times.
Background
According to the Election Commission’s decision, union parishad elections will be held in five phases from 21 January to 27 May 2027; voting will be held in 815 unions of 80 upazilas in the first phase, and about 4,300 of the country’s roughly 4,500 unions have been taken as ready – bdnews24.com reported this on 12 October.
Earlier, in September, the commission’s probable plan was for voting to start in seven phases from 12 November 2026 – The Daily Star Bangla gave this information on 17 September. The information differs between sources; the October decision is the latest.
Last July, at an organisational meeting with leaders from Panchagarh, Thakurgaon and Dinajpur, Tarique Rahman directed that a single candidate be finalised in each area on the basis of consensus even before the schedule is announced; the risk of multiple claimants emerging because local polls may be held without party symbols was also discussed there – The Daily Star Bangla reported this on 19 July.
At a glance
The thirteenth parliamentary election was held on 12 February 2026; of the 297 results declared, BNP won 209 seats and Jamaat-e-Islami 68, while turnout was 59.44 per cent – bdnews24.com reported this on 13 February.
Five days later, on 17 February, Tarique Rahman was sworn in as prime minister before President Mohammed Shahabuddin; before that, an interim government had run the country for 18 months after the fall of Sheikh Hasina – Al Jazeera reported this on 17 February.
