14 Hours, 6 Rallies: Tarique Rahman Wraps up Grueling Second Phase of Campaign

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman concluded the second phase of his election campaign early Monday morning, completing a rigorous marathon of six rallies across four districts in just 14 hours.

The high-intensity campaign stretch ended at approximately 2:15 am with a final address at the Balurmath in Narayanganj.

According to BNP Media Cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan, Tarique Rahman returned to his Gulshan residence in Dhaka at 3:10 am on Monday, following a whirlwind series of events that took him through Chattogram, Feni, Cumilla and Narayanganj.

Tarique Rahman’s day began at 12:30 pm on Sunday with a massive gathering at Chattogram’s Polo Ground. 

From there, he proceeded to hold successive public meetings at the Feni Pilot School ground, Chouddagram High School ground, Soagazi Digbaji field and Daudkandi Eidgah ground, before arriving at his final stop in Narayanganj.

Throughout these rallies, the BNP leader urged voters to support his party and its alliance partners in the upcoming February 12 election. He also detailed the BNP’s strategic roadmap to "rebuild the country" if they are voted into power.

The campaign was marked by heavy attendance, as thousands of supporters—including a notable turnout of women—braved the winter cold to wait for the BNP Chairman's arrival. 

Despite the grueling schedule, Tarique Rahman appeared physically strained, coughing frequently during his speeches. 

At the Chouddagram stop, he shared with the audience that he was battling a cold and fever. "I cannot speak loudly. Please listen quietly and attentively," he told the crowd.

Before hitting the rally circuit on Sunday, Tarique Rahman also participated in a Youth Policy Dialogue, where he engaged with students and answered questions regarding the party’s policy priorities.

This second phase follows a successful first leg of the campaign, which launched on January 22 in Sylhet and covered seven locations, including Moulvibazar, Habiganj, and Kishoreganj. 

Tarique Rahman is expected to continue his outreach on Monday afternoon with a virtual address to a rally in Noakhali’s Hatiya.

With Inputs from UNB