The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has cancelled its scheduled central rally in Dhaka on Sunday, 8 February, opting instead to intensify its nationwide campaign ahead of the 13th National Parliamentary Election. The decision marks a notable strategic shift as the party seeks to consolidate support beyond the capital during the crucial final phase of canvassing.
The announcement was made on Friday morning (6 February) at a press conference held at the BNP’s central office in Nayapaltan. Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the party’s Senior Joint Secretary General, confirmed that although a central programme had been declared only a day earlier, subsequent deliberations at the highest policy-making level led to the cancellation of the Dhaka rally.
According to Rizvi, the acting chairman of the party, Tarique Rahman, will instead attend a series of public meetings in key constituencies across northern and southern districts on the same day. The revised schedule is designed to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and reinforce the party’s electoral messaging in areas considered strategically significant.
Originally, on 5 February, the BNP had announced plans for a large-scale rally in the capital as part of its final campaign drive. Preparations were reportedly under way, with party activists anticipating what would have been the last major gathering in Dhaka before polling day. However, party insiders suggest that electoral calculations and the need for geographic balance prompted a reassessment.
Political analysts observe that while high-profile rallies in the capital often generate media attention, targeted visits to competitive constituencies may yield more tangible electoral dividends. In particular, northern and southern districts are believed to contain several marginal seats where voter turnout and local engagement could decisively influence outcomes.
A summary of the revised plan is outlined below:
| Date | Previously Announced Programme | Revised Programme | Target Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 February | Central rally in Dhaka | Multiple rallies and campaign visits | Northern and southern districts |
| Ongoing | Capital-focused mobilisation | Grassroots outreach and localised public meetings | Nationwide |
Rizvi emphasised that the cancellation of the central rally does not signal any reduction in campaign intensity. “Our leaders and activists will continue full-scale campaigning in their respective constituencies,” he said, adding that the party’s objective is to ensure its message reaches voters directly at the grassroots level.
The shift also underscores a broader recognition within the BNP’s leadership that electoral success may depend less on large symbolic gatherings in the capital and more on sustained engagement in district and rural constituencies. By reallocating senior leadership time and resources outside Dhaka, the party appears intent on consolidating its voter base and energising local campaign structures.
With the election drawing nearer, such tactical recalibrations highlight the increasingly competitive atmosphere. Whether the BNP’s decentralised approach will translate into electoral gains remains to be seen, but the move signals a clear prioritisation of constituency-level mobilisation over headline-grabbing mass rallies in the capital.