Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Rajshahi on Tuesday afternoon to visit a Durga Puja mandap and exchange greetings with members of the Hindu community.

Tarique arrived at Rajshahi airport around at 2:52 pm by a military aircraft, said Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahriar Pamir.

According to his itinerary, he will address a public rally at Madrasa Ground and then he will visit the puja mandap at Dharmasabha Temple.

After the rally, he will leave for Chattogram to visit Rahmatganj Puja Mandap at JM Sen Hall before returning to Dhaka at night.

The prime minister’s visit has generated enthusiasm among local BNP leaders and activists.

He departed Saidpur in Nilphamari by a military aircraft at 2:20pm and landed at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi at 2:55pm.

Accompanying the prime minister were BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, State Minister for Local Government Mir Shahe Alam, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Bijan Kanti Sarkar, BNP Special Secretary Belayet Hossain Mridha, Hindu Religious Welfare Trust Vice-Chairman and MP Nipun Roy Chowdhury, BNP Assistant Organising Secretary Jayanta Kumar Kundu, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibli and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, among others.

At the airport, the prime minister was received by Rajshahi-3 MP Advocate Shafiqul Haque Milon, Rajshahi-5 MP Professor Nazrul Islam, Rajshahi Development Authority Chairman Abul Kalam Azad Sweet and Rajshahi Divisional Commissioner Md Yusuf Ali among others.

Land Minister and Rajshahi Sadar MP Md Mizanur Rahman Minu said, “No head of state of Bangladesh has ever come to Rajshahi to extend greetings to members of the Hindu community. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is coming. Alongside greeting them, he will address the people of Rajshahi at the rally. So, this rally will be historic.”

Security has been ensured at the prime minister’s landing site, routes for VIP movement, Dharmasabha Temple, the circuit house and the rally venue.

Around 400 CCTV cameras are being used to monitor key locations across the city.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police has also said special traffic management measures have been taken to ease congestion.

Tarique last visited Rajshahi in January to attend an election rally.

His return as the Prime Minister after around eight and a half months has generated renewed enthusiasm among party leaders and activists.

Earlier in the morning, Tarique left Tejgaon Airport in Dhaka at 9am by a military aircraft and reached Saidpur Airport at 9:50am to visit Durga Puja mandaps in Rangpur, Rajshahi and Chattogram.

After completing airport formalities, he travelled by road in a motorcade towards Rangpur. On the way, he addressed two roadside rallies at Taraganj and Paglapir.