'Not Dilli, Not Pindi': Tarique Rahman Begins Campaigning With 'Bangladesh First Agenda

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman Tarique Rahman has officially kicked off his party's election campaign for the February 12 elections with a rally at Alia Madrasa ground in Sylhet-- some 242 kilometres from Dhaka. Rahman, the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is widely seen as a leading contender for prime minister. His party has drawn strong support rooted in the political legacy of his mother, who died last month. Rahman returned to Bangladesh last month after 17 years in exile in the United Kingdom.

This was Rehman's first trip outside Bangladesh's capital city since he returned home in December 2025. During the massive rally, he spoke about unemployment, farmers' issues and the much-talked-about family card. He also referred to regional foreign policy, and in a veiled reference to India, Rahman attacked ousted premier Sheikh Hasina for succumbing to "other countries".  

He reiterated his earlier stand on foreign policy, repeating the slogan – "Not Dilli, Not Pindi, Bangladesh before everything." 

Tarique Rahaman also hit out at the Jamaat for siding with Pakistan in 1971 and said, "They are trying to cheat people with false promises."

Apart from Sylhet, he is set to address seven consecutive election rallies in Moulvibazar, Habiganj, Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Narsingdi and Araihazar in Narayanganj.

Elections in Bangladesh are being held after two years. Sheikh Hasina, who won the 2024 polls, was ousted from power, leading to an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus running the country. Finally, Bangladesh will return to an elected government taking charge of the country after the elections are completed.

The hardline Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh has also organised an election rally on Thursday to kick off its election campaign.  The Jamaat rally is being organised in Mirpur, an area that comes under Jamaat Chief Shafiqur Rahman's constituency, Dhaka-15.  Jamaat leader Shafiqur Rahman and leaders of the 10-party alliance will address the rally.

The election will include a referendum on a national charter, with the Muhammed Yunus-led interim government seeking to campaign for voters to support what it describes as a new political course built on reforms. The charter was signed last year by 25 of the country's 52 registered political parties. The Awami League opposed the idea, and several other parties declined to sign the document.

The July National Charter, named after the uprising that began in July 2024 and led to the fall of Hasina, is currently nonbinding, but the supporters of the charter say a referendum is needed to make it legally binding and a part of the constitution. Only Parliament can change the constitution in Bangladesh.

The interim government says the charter would bring more checks and balances to avoid authoritarian administrations, including by giving the presidency more authority to balance what had been a powerful prime minister position. It also proposes term limits for legislators and measures to prevent conflicts of interest, money laundering and corruption.