Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman announced that Sylhet Airport would be upgraded to a full international airport if his party assumes power. Speaking as the chief guest at an 11-party electoral alliance rally in Moulvibazar on Saturday, February 7, 2026, he said that currently only flights from London and occasionally from Middle Eastern countries land in Sylhet. He emphasized that despite Sylhet’s large expatriate population across Europe and America, airlines do not operate regular international routes there.

Dr. Rahman highlighted Sylhet’s economic contributions since the Liberation War and promised to restore direct flights from Manchester to Sylhet. He also outlined broader goals for a prosperous and inclusive Bangladesh, pledging to empower youth, ensure education and healthcare for tea workers, and provide state support for expatriate workers’ families. He described the upcoming February 12 vote as a turning point for national change and linked it to a referendum he termed a vote for freedom.

The Jamaat leader further stated that his party aims to build a nation free from inequality, where all communities can live in peace and dignity.