BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman arrived at the rally stage at Thakurgaon Government High School ground at 11:30 am today amid a massive show of enthusiasm from party leaders and activists.
As he reached the venue, thousands of supporters welcomed him with thunderous applause. Tarique Rahman responded by waving to the cheering crowd.
This marks his first visit to Thakurgaon since December 2003, when he came to distribute winter clothing among the poor.
BNP Media Cell member Shayerul Kabir Khan said Tarique Rahman had launched the union-level representative conference of the party from Thakurgaon on January 4, 2003.
The rally began at 11:00 am with recitations from the Holy Quran, followed by readings from the Holy Gita and the Holy Bible, reflecting communal harmony. Maulana Khalilur Rahman recited from the Quran, Uma Shankar from the Gita, and Father Jasim Murmu from the Bible.
The rally is being presided over by Thakurgaon district BNP President Mirza Faysal Amin, while District General Secretary Paigam Ali is conducting the programme.
Addressing the gathering, Mirza Faysal Amin said the arrival of Tarique Rahman has generated unprecedented enthusiasm among people from all walks of life in the district, adding that the massive turnout reflected the public mood ahead of the election.
Earlier, Tarique Rahman left Dhaka for Saidpur on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight at 10:05 am and later travelled to Thakurgaon by helicopter.
From 10:00 am, leaders and activists began gathering at the school ground in small processions from different upazilas of the district.
Many carried placards featuring BNP Secretary General and Thakurgaon’s prominent son Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, along with party candidates from Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts.
BNP candidates contesting from Thakurgaon and Panchagarh constituencies are also present at the rally. They include Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir from Thakurgaon-1, Abdus Salam from Thakurgaon-2, Zahidur Rahman Zahid from Thakurgaon-3, Nawshad Zamir from Panchagarh-1, Farhad Hossain Azad from Panchagarh-2, and Manzurul Islam from Panchagarh-3.
