Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman announced his plan to transform northern Bangladesh into the capital of agro-based industries during a series of election rallies on Friday, January 23, 2026. Speaking at a large gathering in Panchagarh’s sugar mill field, he said closed sugar mills would be reopened and workers reinstated. The event marked his first election rally outside Dhaka, followed by similar meetings in Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, and Rangpur, which drew enthusiastic participation from party supporters.

Dr. Rahman accused successive governments of deliberately keeping northern Bangladesh impoverished and pledged to change the region’s economic landscape within five years. He promised to establish specialized hospitals in every district, recover embezzled funds allegedly laundered abroad, and eliminate corruption and extortion. In Dinajpur, he vowed to build agro-industries and storage facilities for potatoes and lychees, while in Thakurgaon he promised to upgrade Saidpur Airport to international standards and ensure fair prices for farmers.

In Rangpur, Dr. Rahman said his alliance would implement the Teesta Master Plan and create employment instead of unemployment benefits. He urged voters to support the ten-party alliance and mark “yes” in the upcoming referendum.