TBM Report
In a powerful call to action delivered at a massive election rally in Tangail, BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman urged locals to take personal responsibility for the sanctity of their ballots.
Speaking on Saturday (31 January 2026) evening near the Charchana Bypass on the Dhaka-Tangail highway, Rahman emphasized that vigilance must begin long before the first vote is cast.
He cautioned the crowd that “preparations must be taken from the day before” to ensure that no outsider is allowed to enter a polling center and fraudulently use a legitimate voter’s name to stamp a ballot.
To Rahman, the polling station is a community’s most sacred ground, and he insisted that locals must maintain a “watchful eye” to verify that only eligible, local residents are participating in the process.
The BNP leader’s warnings were rooted in a desire to avoid a repeat of the 2008 election results, which he suggested were marred by manipulation. Beyond the immediate logistics of the polling day, Rahman raised a serious alarm regarding the unethical collection of personal data.
He pointed out that certain groups are currently targeting women to harvest NID and bKash numbers under false pretenses. He characterized these actions as a deep betrayal of trust, suggesting that those capable of such digital trickery before an election would not hesitate to compromise the country’s interests if given the chance. By urging the public to warn their neighbors, he framed the protection of personal data as a matter of national sovereignty.
While the speech was heavy with warnings, it also offered a glimpse into a potential BNP-led future for the Tangail region.
Rahman promised a revitalization of local industries, ranging from the global promotion of Tangail’s famous sarees to the revival of the jute sector through new factories. His economic vision included ambitious infrastructure projects, such as a barrage on the Jamuna River to stimulate river-based trade and a dedicated push to export the region’s pineapples to international markets.
