BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Thursday morning held an interactive discussion with hundreds of non-political youths at a hotel in Sylhet, ahead of his scheduled election rally at the Sylhet Government Alia Madrasa ground at 11am.
The program, titled “The Plan: Youth Policy Talk with Tarique Rahman,” was attended by 19 college and university students, who shared their visions and policy ideas for building a future Bangladesh.
During the discussion, Sanjiad Ali, a fourth-year student of Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College, urged the establishment of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in government hospitals.
Abdul Munaem, a student of Sylhet MC College, urged Tarique Rahman to take initiatives to upgrade Sylhet Osmani International Airport into a fully functional international airport if BNP comes to power through a free and fair election.
Tarique Rahman listened attentively to their proposals and exchanged views on employment, education, infrastructure development, and youth empowerment. He also mentioned the dilapidated communication conditions of the Sylhet region, including the Dhaka–Sylhet highway.
Tarique Rahman arrived in Sylhet on Wednesday evening to formally begin BNP’s election campaign for the 13th National Parliamentary Election. He reached Sylhet Osmani International Airport around 8pm, arriving from Dhaka with his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, and a senior party delegation led by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
From the airport, he travelled in a motorcade to the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA), where he arrived around 9:20pm and offered prayers. He later paid respects at the grave of General MAG Osmani, the Commander-in-Chief of the Liberation War in 1971, located within the shrine complex.
At around 9:45pm, Tarique Rahman visited the nearby shrine of Hazrat Shahparan (RA). Later that night, he also paid a courtesy visit to his in-laws’ residence at Birahimpur village under South Surma upazila of Sylhet.
BNP leaders and activists said Thursday’s rally would mark the party’s first official campaign event ahead of the upcoming national election.