Nationwide Desk
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is scheduled to undertake a four-day tour of Bangladesh’s northern region from January 11 to 14, 2026. The party has officially notified district authorities, including Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Returning Officers (ROs), confirming that the visit is part of religious and social engagements and does not contravene the Election Commission’s Code of Conduct.
A formal communication outlining the visit was sent on January 7 by ABM Abdus Sattar, Personal Secretary to the BNP Acting Chairman. The letter was addressed to the DCs and ROs of 13 districts—Dhaka, Gazipur, Tangail, Tangail, Sirajganj, Bogura, Gaibandha, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, and Kurigram. In the letter, BNP stated that the visit has no political objective, emphasising that the itinerary comprises prayer gatherings, religious commemorations, social programmes, and homage to deceased individuals linked to the party and national democratic movements.
The notification specifies that Tarique Rahman will pay tribute at the graveyards of individuals martyred in the July uprising and those who died during Bangladesh’s prolonged democratic struggles. The party asserts that the engagements include prayer sessions for the salvation of the late former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, who passed away on December 30, 2025. Religious congregations, prayer gatherings (doa mahfils), and social programmes organised in memory of Khaleda Zia form a central part of the tour.
The party has further assured authorities that the visit will not breach the electoral Code of Conduct issued by the Bangladesh Election Commission ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections. BNP has requested necessary security arrangements and administrative cooperation to facilitate the tour. The party has also sought overall logistical support from district administrations to ensure smooth implementation of the programme.
According to the itinerary shared by BNP, the Acting Chairman will begin his journey from Dhaka on January 11, travelling toward Bogura via Tangail and Sirajganj. Upon arrival in Bogura, he will stay overnight in the district town. On January 12, Rahman will continue his journey from Bogura to Thakurgaon, passing through Pirganj (Rangpur) and Dinajpur on the way. He is expected to stay overnight in Thakurgaon before resuming travel on January 13 toward Rangpur, via Panchagarh, Nilphamari, and Lalmonirhat.
On January 14, he is scheduled to return to Dhaka from Rangpur, again via Bogura, travelling through Gabtali in Bogura district. BNP sources indicate that the route was planned to accommodate visits to several key graveyards and religious gatherings located along the northern highway corridor.
The programme includes visits to the graveyards of several notable figures, including Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, a prominent political and religious leader whose legacy is closely linked to Bangladesh’s democratic movements. Rahman will also visit the grave of July uprising martyr Abu Saeed, who became a widely referenced symbol of the student-led movement that contributed to political changes in 2024.
In addition, Rahman is expected to visit the burial site of his maternal grandmother Tayeba Majumdar and pay homage at the graveyard of his maternal grandmother Tayeba Majumdar, as well as the grave of his maternal grandmother Tayeba Majumdar, along with other individuals martyred in different phases of Bangladesh’s democratic struggles. The tour also includes visits to memorial prayer gatherings held at the resting places of those killed or injured in the July uprising and other anti-authoritarian movements.
A distinctive feature of the tour is Rahman’s scheduled courtesy meetings with the families of martyrs and those injured during the July uprising. The itinerary outlines plans for Rahman to hold personal meetings with families of deceased activists, injured protesters, and former democratic movement participants. BNP describes these meetings as non-political social courtesy engagements intended to offer moral support and recognise the sacrifices of individuals who died or were injured in democratic struggles.
Bangladesh’s Election Commission has in past elections enforced strict Code of Conduct rules that restrict political campaigning, motorcades, public processions, and political rallies during sensitive pre-election periods. BNP has pre-emptively clarified that the Acting Chairman’s visit does not involve election campaigning, processions, or activities resembling political mobilisation. The party’s letter explicitly states that the visit is limited to religious and social programmes, prayer sessions, and homage visits, none of which fall under the prohibited electoral activities.
Security concerns for high-profile political visits in northern districts have historically involved coordination between district administrations, law enforcement agencies, and specialised security units. The party’s request for cooperation includes security, logistical coordination, and administrative facilitation. District authorities have not yet issued any public objections to the visit as of January 7.
Tarique Rahman has remained one of the most discussed figures in Bangladesh’s political landscape, having lived abroad for several years before returning to public activities following political shifts in 2024. BNP maintains that the upcoming northern tour is framed solely as a religious-social visit marking Begum Khaleda Zia’s passing and recognising martyrs of democratic movements.
The four-day tour is expected to draw significant public attention in the districts included on the route, particularly due to the symbolic graveyard visits and meetings with martyrs’ families. BNP has reiterated that no public political messaging or election mobilisation will form part of the engagements.