PM Tarique Rahman set to visit Cox’s Bazar today

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to visit Cox’s Bazar today for the first time since assuming the office.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to arrive at Cox’s Bazar Airport at 10:00am on a US-Bangla Airlines flight, accompanied by his family.

The trip has sparked high expectations over regional development and progress on the Rohingya crisis, Shahjahan Chowdhury, president of the district BNP and Member of Parliament for Cox’s Bazar-4 (Ukhiya-Teknaf), said.

He expressed hope that stronger engagement with the international community, the United Nations and Myanmar would help advance efforts for the safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

Meanwhile, Cox’s Bazar-3 lawmaker Lutfor Rahman Kazal said he would place several key development proposals before the Prime Minister. These include upgrading Cox’s Bazar Municipality into a city corporation, expanding the district hospital to 500 beds, constructing the Cox’s Bazar–Maheshkhali bridge and modernising the Cox’s Bazar Stadium to international standards.

District BNP Office Secretary Md Yusuf Badri said local leaders would also seek accelerated implementation of major projects, including developing the world’s longest sea beach into a more attractive international tourism destination, establishing Sonadia Island as a special tourism zone for foreign visitors, dredging the Bakkhali River and advancing the deep-sea port projects in Maheshkhali and Matarbari.

Following an inspection of the Prime Minister’s rally venue in Chakaria on Friday, the Home Minister told reporters that several issues of national importance linked to Cox’s Bazar would be presented to the Prime Minister. These include ensuring fair prices for salt producers, upgrading the Cox’s Bazar–Chattogram highway to six lanes and establishing a university focused on blue economy and marine sciences.

Residents and stakeholders across the district are hopeful that the Prime Minister’s visit will lead to tangible progress on development priorities, tourism expansion and the long-standing Rohingya crisis.