BNP’s Tarique Rahman pledges swift reopening of Thakurgaon airport if elected

He says work on the airport is at an advanced stage and could be completed soon after the Feb 12 election

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman has promised to make Thakurgaon Airport operational swiftly if his party forms the next government.

Speaking at an election rally on Saturday, Tarique said work on the airport was already at an advanced stage and could be completed soon after the Feb 12 election.

He told supporters that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had informed him of the progress, adding that the airport would be reopened “as soon as possible” if the party came to power.

Addressing the gathering at the Government Boys’ High School ground in Thakurgaon, Tarique said: “We carried out movements, we fought a war in 1971, and we won this country’s independence. In 2024, through a student-led mass uprising, we protected the country’s freedom. Now we must rebuild the nation."

“When we fought for independence, and when people later rose up against autocracy, we did not divide ourselves by religion,” he said, adding that Bangladesh had long been home to people of all faiths living peacefully together.

Tarique said his party wanted to strengthen the country’s economy and democracy to ensure a secure future for its citizens, stressing that people should be judged by merit rather than religion.

He urged voters to back the BNP’s election symbol, the "sheaf of paddy", saying the party sought to rebuild the country with public support and work towards a Bangladesh that meets people's aspirations.

“We have come before the people, and with the people’s support, love, and strength, we want to rebuild Bangladesh.”