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Published : 23 Feb 2026, 01:46 PM
The reopening of Awami League offices in multiple areas after the formation of the new government has been taken up for legal scrutiny, according to BNP Secretary General and Local Government Minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking on Monday at the BNP central office in Dhaka’s Naya Paltan, on his first visit since the government change, he said the party had not sought the reopening of the offices.
“Since the law clearly says their activities are banned, the matter will be handled accordingly,” he added.
Since the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, 2024, party leaders and activists have largely gone into hiding, leaving offices across the nation locked and halting public political activity for 19 months.
On May 10 last year, the interim government banned all activities of the party and its associate and affiliated organisations under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
After the election and the formation of a new government led by the BNP, processions were seen around Awami League offices in Dhaka and other parts of the country, with party flags hoisted in some places amid the new political landscape.
Local Government Polls ‘On Time’
Fakhrul said local government elections will take place at the “proper time” despite recent administrative appointments.
The government has installed six BNP leaders as administrators for six city corporations, including the two in Dhaka.
Some of them contested the last parliamentary election and lost, while others sought party nomination but did not receive it.
Asked whether appointing administrators to six city corporations would delay local government elections, the minister replied in the negative.
Statutory rules govern such polls, he said, noting that some terms are ongoing while others have expired.
The government will align all timelines and arrange the elections at an appropriate time, he added.
“This election will certainly be given priority,” Fakhrul said.
During his visit, he also touched upon the selection for reserved women's seats, noting that parliament will make the final call.
He mentioned that candidate qualifications must include adherence to party ideology and a deep connection with the public. There must also be a history of sacrifice for the party, and those most closely involved and dedicated will be given precedence.
When asked if two members of the same family could be considered for nomination, he said no decision has been reached yet.
The Central Office
At the start of his remarks at the Naya Paltan office, Fakhrul recalled the late BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, describing the central office as a place deeply tied to the party’s democratic struggle.
He said the office had been the centre of movements that inspired people to take part in democratic campaigns under Khaleda’s leadership, recalling her role in the mass movement of the 1990s, the formation of government in 1991 and subsequent struggles to restore democracy.
He said her contribution to Bangladesh’s democratic journey placed her among the region’s leading pro-democracy figures and offered prayers for her eternal peace.
‘Bangladesh Will Move Forward Under Tarique Rahman’
Fakhrul said the party is now working towards what he called a new Bangladesh under the leadership of its Chairman and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
In a short span, he said, Tarique has secured a position among the public and has already begun delivering on his agenda, with his methods “reflecting that intent”.
“We believe the Bangladesh Nationalist Party will grow stronger under his leadership, and the government formed under him will succeed in taking Bangladesh towards its desired goals and building a truly prosperous nation, which was the vision of our founder late president Ziaur Rahman,” he said.
He added that the party hopes people will continue to support it as they have in the past.
