Nation steps into campaign fest
Full of promises and hope, the election festivities have finally arrived as the nation prepares for its first truly competitive election since 2008.
Political parties yesterday kicked off their campaigns with rallies, fanfare and door-to-door campaigning. Adversarial rhetoric filled the airwaves as rivals exchanged oblique taunts and barbs from street corners and playgrounds.
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Major contenders -- BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami -- lauched their campaigns by firing salvos at each other that are expected to continue as election fever grips the country.
BNP reminded voters of Jamaat’s controversial role during the Liberation War, while Jamaat countered by branding BNP a party of “extortionists”.
Although parliamentary polls are scheduled every five years, this election comes just two years after the last one, following the fall of the Awami League regime, which had remained in power since 2008.
Our goal is to ensure that every person can feed and clothe themselves, so that everyone can move safely – that is how we will ‘take back Bangladesh’.
The 2014 and 2024 elections were condemned as “one-sided”, while in 2018 ballot boxes were reportedly stuffed on the eve of voting. BNP and other opposition parties boycotted the 2014 and 2024 polls. In 2018, BNP contested under the Jatiya Oikyafront banner but faced widespread intimidation and little redress from the Election Commission.
This time, 1,981 candidates are contesting the polls, launching campaigns in village markets, town squares and city centres. Campaign slogans echoed from rural areas to cityscapes as candidates visited voters at their homes.
We have declared that we will not take donations… We will not engage in corruption, and we will not allow anyone else to do so either.
Candidates will be allowed to campaign until 7:30am on February 10, 48 hours before polls open on February 12.
Most candidates have also taken to social media to announce their campaign launch. They shared updates and engaged with voters, turning the digital space into an extension of the campaign trail and amplifying the festive mood and signalling the return of competitive politics.
Following tradition, BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman launched his party’s campaign from Sylhet with a rally at the Alia Madrasa ground, followed by two more gatherings in Moulvibazar and Habiganj by 7:30pm. He had rallies scheduled all night long in different northeastern districts.
Travelling by road in a red-and-green bus, Tarique waved to supporters lining the roads.
This marks the first time he is running for public office and leading a national campaign since returning from exile.
I seek the prayers and cooperation of the people to establish Islamic values, justice, and good governance.
At the Alia Madrasa, Tarique was greeted with thunderous applause and slogans. Thousands of activists from different constituencies gathered at the venue, chanting slogans for the party’s Sheaf of Paddy symbol, and for BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and long-time party leader late Khaleda Zia.
Many wore caps emblazoned with the symbol and wore party bandanas.
In his speech, Tarique criticised Jamaat, BNP’s main rival in the polls with the Awami League’s activities banned.
“Bangladesh comes first, not Delhi, not Pindi, not any other country,” he declared, adding, “We believe the people of this country are the source of all our political power, and therefore we believe in uplifting their destiny.”
Recalling the Liberation War, he said, “Because of their [who opposed independence] actions, countless brothers of this nation were martyred, and countless mothers and sisters suffered indignities. The people of Bangladesh have already seen the role they played.”
He concluded by seeking prayers, support and votes for the BNP.
Meanwhile, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman launched his party’s campaign with a rally in Dhaka’s Mirpur, under the Dhaka-15 constituency from where he is running.
The party boycotted the 2014 and 2024 polls and contested the 2018 election under BNP’s symbol as part of the BNP-led alliance.
Its registration was cancelled in 2013 following a High Court verdict but restored along with its symbol in June last year.
From noon, small processions gathered at Mirpur Adarsha High School ground in Mirpur-10.
By 3:00pm, the ground was packed with activists. As Shafiqur arrived, supporters welcomed him with slogans calling for votes for the party’s symbol Balancing Scale.
In his speech, Shafiqur said many people had been unable to vote in previous elections and warned against the rise of new “vote robbers”.
“People do not want to see extortionists,” he said. He also criticised BNP’s proposed “family card” programme, saying, “We are not making such a pledge. Will Tk 2,000 really solve anything for a family?”
He also introduced the names of party and alliance-backed candidates for five Dhaka seats, including National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam.
Earlier in the day, Nahid and other leaders of NCP, formed by frontliners of the July mass uprising, launched their campaign by paying tributes at the graves of three national leaders and Sharif Osman Hadi on the Dhaka University campus. Hadi, also a frontline July protester and aspirant for the February polls, was gunned down and killed a day after the election schedule was announced.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh also launched its campaign in a festive atmosphere in Barishal. Senior nayeb-e-ameer Mufti Syed Faizul Karim, who is contesting from Barishal-5 and Barishal-6, began his campaign in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall.
A large number of party leaders and activists joined the rally, after which the candidate led a procession and conducted door-to-door campaigning.
Other political parties also launched their campaigns. Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader started campaigning from Rangpur.
Candidates of the left-leaning Ganotantrik Juktafront, including the Communist Party of Bangladesh and Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, began their electioneering by paying tribute to the martyrs of the Language Movement, the 1971 Liberation War, and the democratic and anti-communal uprisings of 1990 and 2024 at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Gonosamhati Andolan also started its campaign from the Shaheed Minar.
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