United News of Bangladesh

BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday (December 08, 2025) urged party leaders and activists to prioritise the party and its electoral symbol, the “Sheaf of Paddy,” over individual candidates ahead of the upcoming election, warning that a serious setback could follow if unity is not maintained. “There is no time for us to sit idle. Candidates have already been announced in various areas. For your area, the party has made a decision based on who we thought would do best,” he said while speaking virtually at the concluding session of BNP’s second day of the ‘Plan to Build the Country’ programme. Tarique also noted that perhaps the candidate announced in their area was not the one they personally preferred, or that their connection with the candidate was not very strong. “But you are not working for the candidate. You are working for your Sheaf of Paddy. The candidate is not the main focus. What matters is that our party, BNP, the Sheaf of Paddy, and the country. If people vote for the Sheaf of Paddy, we will be able to carry out every plan for building the country,” he said. Read more: Conspiracies underway to undermine democracy: Tarique Rahman He also said the plans to build the country will not just remain on paper but will be implemented at any cost with people’s involvement. “Our promise and our work for the next two months are to involve the people of Bangladesh in these plans. There is no other work beyond this.” Tarique called upon Chhatra Dal leaders and activists to reach out to people in their areas, explain the party’s plans, gather support, and mobilise voters. Urging the younger generation to unite, he said, Bangladesh’s immediate future depends on them. If you move forward together, the country has a future. Otherwise, a terrible situation may wait. If we unite and work from our respective positions, the country will move forward.” The six-day programme, titled ‘Plans to Build the Country’, was announced on November 27 and involves BNP’s affiliated bodies, including Chhatra Dal, Krishak Dal, Ulema Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal, ahead of the national election. Conspiracies underway to undermine democracy: Tarique Rahman BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin inaugurated the second day’s programme in the morning, with BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in the chair at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in Dhaka’s Farmgate. Leaders and activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal from across the country joined the programme so they can explain BNP’s plans, election manifesto, and promises to the people ahead of the polls. The programme highlighted BNP’s detailed plans for the country, including canal excavation, air pollution control, environmental improvement, waste management, nationwide sports development, education, health, reducing unemployment, and social support initiatives such as the Family Card, Farmers’ Card, and Health Card. Tarique urged party leaders and activists to take these plans directly to people. Read more: Shahadat Hossain Selim joins BNP dissolving his party

BNP will formally start the distribution of its nomination papers from tomorrow (Tuesday) to those who want to contest the upcoming first phase of elections to 25 municipalities with the party’s election symbol ‘Sheaf of Paddy’.

BNP has picked its Chattogram city unit president Dr Shahdat Hossain as its mayoral candidate to contest the upcoming elections to Chattogram City Corporation (CCC).

BNP senior leader Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on Saturday said people are eagerly waiting for casting their votes for the ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ in the elections to Dhaka north and south city corporations.

BNP’s Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) mayoral candidate Ishraque Hossain on Friday said he will announce his election manifesto on Monday.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday carried out electioneering in favour of Tabith Awal, their party’s mayoral candidate in the elections to Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC), saying that a mass wave has been created in favour of ‘Sheaf of Paddy’.

With the allocation of election symbols, BNP’s both mayoral candidates in the polls to Dhaka south and north city corporations kicked off their election campaign on Friday to woo voters.