[🇧🇩] Monitoring the political activities of BNP

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Bangladesh Television to air Tarique’s address on Feb 9

The Election Commission on Tuesday sent a letter to the BTV director general allocating the final slot on February 9 for broadcasting Tarique’s electoral address…

www.newagebd.net

Bangladesh Television to air Tarique’s address on Feb 9
Staff Correspondent 03 February, 2026, 20:56

Tarique Rahman. —New Age photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman is set to deliver an electoral address to the nation on the Bangladesh Television on February 9, ahead of the upcoming referendum and national elections scheduled for February 12.

The Election Commission on Tuesday sent a letter to the BTV director general allocating the final slot on February 9 for broadcasting Tarique’s address as part of electioneering, the commission’s director for public relations Ruhul Amin Mollik told New Age.

Creating an environment conducive to polls is crucial for a free, fair and credible election, and providing equal access to electioneering opportunities on state-run media is an important part of fostering such an environment, the commission underlined in the letter.

All party leaders are entitled to request a broadcast slot through formal applications and so far, the BNP remains the only party to have applied, Ruhul Amin said.

In the letter, the commission issued a set of instructions on the allocation of slot for airing the electoral addresses of party chiefs.

According to the instructions, slots would be assigned on strictly in the order in which the parties submit the applications, in line with the National Parliament Election Code of Conduct 2025.

The instructiond said that BTV would determine both the slot allocation and the duration of each party leader’s broadcast, coordinating recording dates and times with the relevant parties.

Since no applications have been received from parties other than the BNP, the BNP chief’s address has been scheduled for the final slot on February 9, said the instructions.​

 

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Undercover activists rise as new tyrants, says Tarique

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said that leaders and activists of a political party in Bangladesh, who are known as ‘undercover’ members, had emerged as new tyrants...

www.newagebd.net

Undercover activists rise as new tyrants, says Tarique
Staff Correspondent 05 February, 2026, 00:16

BNP chairman Tarique Rahman waves while addressing an election rally at Bells Park on Band Road in Barishal town on Wednesday. | New Age photo

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman on Wednesday said that leaders and activists of a political party in Bangladesh, who are known as ‘undercover’ members, had emerged as new tyrants.

In a veiled reference to the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Tarique said that it was deeply painful to witness the emergence of a new oppressor and alleged that the leader of the group had publicly used a highly derogatory and stigmatising term against Bangladeshi women two days earlier.

He said that a conspiracy had begun against the people’s freedom, their rights to vote, and their rights to speak, and that the ‘undercover group’ was behind it.

The BNP chairman made the remarks in separate election rallies in Barishal and Faridpur.Bangladesh cultural tours

Tarique said that when a political party or its leader’s thinking or ideology developed such vile notions about the mothers and sisters of their own country, nothing good could be expected from them.

He said that that this had been evident during the Liberation War in 1971, when millions of women, mothers, and sisters in Bangladesh were dishonoured due to the controversial role of the ‘undercover’ group.

New Age correspondent from Barishal reported that Tarique, in his speech at Bell’s Park Maidan in the city, said that a person or a political party showing no respect for the mothers and sisters of their own country could never be expected to contribute to Bangladesh’s progress.

The BNP chairman said that recent media reports indicated the group had been producing fake seals and printing ballot papers for their own benefits, while also collecting national identity numbers and mobile payment numbers from vulnerable women.

He said that the group’s claims of establishing honest governance were contradicted by their pre-election unethical activities.

Tarique said that those who lied to cover their crimes could never offer honest rule.

He urged BNP supporters to remain vigilant, ensure voters in their communities stay alert, and prevent anyone from hijacking their rights on February 12.

‘The BNP believes that the people are the source of all power — and our goal is the people — our objective is the people — if we can change the fate of the people, then we have to take this country forward,’ he said.

Regarding the development of Barishal, Tarique said that the BNP would undertake various developmental initiatives, including Bhola-Barishal Bridge, industrialisation of Barishal by using natural gas, employment of manpower and preventing river erosion.

Speaking at a separate rally at the Rajendra College ground in Faridpur, the BNP chairman said that only a government accountable to citizens could solve regional problems and move the country forward.

Outlining the BNP’s plans, he identified river erosion as Faridpur’s most pressing challenge and said that his party would take measures to protect farmland.

He described the greater Faridpur region as agriculture-based, highlighting the potential of the jute sector to support farmers and earn foreign exchange through exports.

Tarique said that the BNP planned to introduce farmer cards to ensure timely access to seeds, fertilisers and inputs, expand industries based on regional strengths to create jobs for educated youth, and promote both agriculture and industry together.

He pledged family cards for households, expanded healthcare services through hospital upgradation and community health workers, and construction of a Padma barrage to address dry-season water shortages.

If the BNP is voted to power in the February 12 polls, it would consider declaring Faridpur a division and upgrading the town to a city corporation, provided these measures help address local problems, he added.​

 

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BNP vision is equal rights for all faiths, not secularism: Fakhrul tells Al Jazeera

The term is ‘not congenial’ for Bangladesh’s politics, he says

www.thedailystar.net

BNP vision is equal rights for all faiths, not secularism: Fakhrul tells Al Jazeera

The term is ‘not congenial’ for Bangladesh’s politics, he says

Screengrab

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that secularism is not the party's objective, asserting that the term is not "congenial" for the politics of Bangladesh.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, Fakhrul defended Tarique Rahman’s leadership and outlined a vision focused on equal rights for all faiths rather than secularist ideology.

Addressing the 1977 removal of "secularism" from the constitution by BNP founder Ziaur Rahman, Fakhrul said, "Secularism is not our goal."

He explained that the decision reflected the "philosophy of the party at that time".

Highlighting the country’s demographics, he added that the word "is not at all very congenial for Bangladesh's politics".

Instead, Fakhrul argued that the BNP’s framework ensures religious freedom.

Regarding the party's chairman, Tarique Rahman, Fakhrul dismissed allegations of nepotism and corruption.

He described Tarique as the "most capable man" to lead the nation should the BNP win the upcoming elections.

He rejected the 80 plus cases previously filed against Tarique as "totally baseless" and "politically motivated," claiming the previous "fascist regime" failed to prove any allegations over 15 years.

Responding to a question on the upcoming election and exclusion of Awami League, Fakhrul said, "Now the question is when a political party or the leader of the political party has killed not less than 2,000 students and the agitators or the people who demonstrate against them... They involved themselves with and used the state apparatus including the police and others to kill those people. Naturally, there will be demand for those people that they should be tried, and so they were tried. It was Awami League in general that were involved in these things. All the ministers, all the members of the party were involved."

He, however, expressed his personal opposition to banning political parties, including the Awami League or Jamaat-e-Islami.

"I personally don't support this sort of banning a political party," he said, suggesting that individuals responsible for "genocide" should be tried rather than the entire organisation.

On international ties, Fakhrul said the BNP would "diplomatically try" to repatriate Sheikh Hasina from India to face execution of her convictions.

He expressed hope that relations with New Delhi would improve, describing a recent letter of condolence from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following Khaleda Zia's death as a "very good gesture."​