Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to visit Chattogram for the first time since assuming office. He will travel to Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram on a one-day visit on Sunday (August 9), with his visit generating considerable enthusiasm among leaders and activists of the BNP and its affiliated organizations across greater Chattogram.

Following the finalization of the prime minister’s itinerary, the administration has stepped up preparations to ensure a smooth visit. The BNP has also made extensive preparations to welcome the prime minister. Leaders of the Chattogram South District BNP have already finalized plans for welcoming and greeting him at various locations.

According to party sources, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will attend an organizational meeting in Chattogram city involving members of the full committees of the BNP’s three organizational units—Chattogram Metropolitan, North District and South District—as well as its affiliated and associate organizations.

At the meeting, the prime minister is expected to speak directly with grassroots leaders and activists, listen to their views and provide important organizational guidelines.

Party leaders said grassroots activists are particularly enthusiastic about the initiative, as it will provide them with an opportunity to communicate directly with the prime minister.

According to the finalized itinerary, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will arrive in Maheshkhali at around 9:00am on Sunday. There, he will inspect the Matarbari Deep Sea Port, the coal-fired power project and activities of the Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (MIDA).

At around noon, the prime minister will travel by helicopter to an event near Baharchhara Sea Beach in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram. He will attend a rehabilitation programme for people affected by the recent floods, distribute relief supplies and hand over keys to new homes to 100 homeless families.

Tarique Rahman will then travel to Fatikchhari at around 1:00pm. There, he will visit Al Jamiatul Islamia Azizul Uloom Babunagar Madrasa and pay a courtesy call on Hefazat-e-Islam Amir Allama Shah Muhibbullah Babunagari.

He will later visit Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Moinul Islam Madrasa in Hathazari to pay respects at the grave of Allama Shah Ahmad Shafi.

After a brief break at the District Council Dak Bungalow, the prime minister will attend a rehabilitation programme for flood-affected people at the Hathazari Government College field.

At the event, 30 flood-affected families will each receive Tk 100,000 as assistance for constructing new homes. In addition, 15 persons with disabilities will each receive Tk 10,000 as financial assistance.

In the evening, the prime minister will attend an organizational meeting of the Chattogram BNP at the five-star Radisson Blu hotel in Chattogram city. He is scheduled to leave Chattogram for Dhaka at around 9:20pm.

State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is constantly thinking about the welfare of the country and its people.

“He is focused on ways to reduce the suffering of ordinary people and make the state more responsive to public welfare,” he said.

Regarding the organizational meeting, the state minister said Tarique Rahman has always valued grassroots leaders and activists and considers them the lifeblood of the party.

He said the prime minister would directly engage with grassroots leaders and activists from the BNP’s three Chattogram organizational units—Metropolitan, North and South—as well as 11 affiliated and associate organizations.

The leaders and activists will also have an opportunity to share their views directly with the prime minister.