PM to visit Khulna, Bagerhat today

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is visiting Khulna and Bagerhat today, Thursday (October 22), to see the industrial and port potential of the country’s southwest first-hand. It is his first visit to this region, the Rupsha-Pasur basin, since taking office.

During the trip he will inspect the jetty at Mongla Port and the economic zone proposed by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA).

The schedule was communicated in a letter signed by Md. Ujjal Hossain, Protocol Officer-1 at the Prime Minister’s Office, on Sunday (October 18).

According to the schedule, the prime minister will leave his residence for Tejgaon Airport at 8:30 am. From there he will set off by helicopter for the Sundarbans at 9:00 am. Around 10:00 am he is due to view Hiron Point and the surrounding Sundarbans area from the air.

At 10:30 am the helicopter will land at the field of Nalian Secondary School in Dacope upazila, Khulna. From there he will travel by road to the launch terminal and then by river to BNS Mongla in Bagerhat.

On reaching the BNS Mongla jetty at noon, he will go to the wardroom. After a lunch break there, he will attend a meeting in the conference room at 1:45 pm. Press reports have also noted that he will attend a meeting at the Mongla naval base during the visit.

He will then tour the overall operations and jetties of Mongla Port. At 3:15 pm he is scheduled to visit the area of BEZA’s proposed economic zone.

After the day’s programme, the prime minister will leave the Mongla helipad for Dhaka at 4:00 pm and is expected to arrive in the capital at 5:00 pm.

Strict security measures have been put in place across the Sundarbans, Dacope upazila and the Mongla Port area ahead of his arrival.