Tarique at BNP central office after 17 years

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman visited the party’s Nayapaltan central office on Monday afternoon, marking his first appearance there in nearly 17 years.

He arrived at the office at 4:06pm and went to the second floor, from where he waved to thousands of leaders and activists gathered outside. The visit came days after his return to Bangladesh on December 25, ending almost 17 years of exile in London.

Senior BNP leaders present at the central office included party adviser Abdus Salam, Farhad Halim Doner, Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, Joint Secretary General Habib Un Nabi Khan Sohel, Treasurer Rashiduzzaman Millat, Amra BNP Family Convener Atiqur Rahman Rumon, Executive Committee member Shahrin Islam Tuhin and Dhaka Metropolitan South BNP Member Secretary Tanvir Ahmed Robin, among others.

Several thousand BNP leaders and activists assembled in front of the central office to welcome Tarique Rahman, creating a festive but tightly controlled atmosphere.

Addressing the crowd briefly, Tarique Rahman said no programme had been scheduled for the day and urged supporters not to inconvenience the public by blocking roads. He asked them to reopen the road as soon as possible to ensure the normal movement of commuters.

He said he would speak at length when a formal programme is organised and called on everyone to pray for the well-being of all. Emphasising unity, he urged people to remain healthy and to contribute to rebuilding the country from their respective positions.

Security was tightened in and around the Nayapaltan office ahead of the visit. The main gate was closed from 12:35pm, with entry restricted to senior party leaders only.

On Sunday, Tarique Rahman visited the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office at around 1:40pm and stayed for nearly nine hours, during which he signed party nomination papers and held meetings on organisational and political matters.

Like the Gulshan office, a separate chamber has been prepared for the Acting Chairman at the Nayapaltan central office. Both offices were freshly painted, cleaned and decorated ahead of his return.

As part of election preparations, BNP has also rented a four-storey building on Road 90 in Gulshan to serve as an election office. The facility, equipped with enhanced security, a briefing room, departmental seating and a research cell, will act as the party’s coordination centre for election-related activities.

Tarique Rahman returned to Bangladesh on Thursday after nearly 17 years abroad, a homecoming that has drawn widespread attention and strong enthusiasm among BNP leaders, activists and supporters nationwide.