Tarique’s return to mark key milestone in BNP's poll campaign: Salahuddin

BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed on Sunday said that the party's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, will return to Bangladesh "very soon" — a development he claimed would mark a major milestone in the party’s campaign for the upcoming national elections.

Speaking at a discussion organised by the Bangladesh Nationalist Income Tax Lawyers' Forum at the Diploma Engineers' Institute in Dhaka, Salahuddin said Tarique’s return would signify the completion of "half" of BNP's election preparations.

"Tarique Rahman will return to the country very soon. I’m not saying the election will be held that day, but once he comes, half of BNP’s campaign will already be done," he said.

Calling the return an “unforgettable historic event,” Salahuddin stressed the need to restore a political government through elections and revive the parliamentary system to meet public expectations.

He also alleged that certain groups are trying to disrupt the electoral process by creating political instability.

“Anti-national elements are attempting to destabilise the situation,” he claimed.

Regarding the election timeline, Salahuddin said the next national election is likely to take place in the first half of February 2026, shortly before Ramadan, or even earlier.

He urged those spreading “confusion” or “misleading statements” to stop, saying the country is already in election mode.

“Excitement for the polls has spread across the country,” he said.

Criticising the ruling Awami League, Salahuddin accused the party of betraying the spirit of the Liberation War and democracy.

“Today, they say ‘Joy’ in one place and then, one and a half miles away, they say ‘Bangla.’ That’s the current state of the Awami League. Their political survival is at stake,” he remarked.

In response to recent discussions around potential special constitutional measures, Salahuddin dismissed the idea of an “extra-constitutional order” or “special proclamation,” insisting the Constitution remains fully intact.

“There is no justification for any special order. The country is being run under the Constitution. Why would anyone want anything outside of it, and for whom?” he questioned.

The BNP has long demanded the formation of a neutral government to oversee national elections, a position it continues to uphold amid growing political tensions.