Prime Minister begins first official Barishal visit since taking office

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman left Dhaka for Barishal by road on Monday morning (July 13), marking his first official visit to the southern region since assuming office.

The visit has generated significant public interest across the region, with expectations of key announcements on several long-pending development projects.

According to officials and party sources, the prime minister departed from his Gulshan residence and is scheduled to attend a series of official and organisational programmes throughout the day.

Considering the ongoing monsoon and adverse weather conditions, no public rally has been planned during the visit. Instead, the Prime Minister will begin his itinerary by inaugurating a tree plantation programme at Batajor in Gournadi upazila, before joining another plantation campaign at the historic Bell's Park in Barishal city.

Later in the day, he is expected to attend an organisational meeting with senior leaders of the Barishal district and metropolitan BNP and its associate bodies at the Barishal District Shilpakala Academy.

The visit has raised hopes among residents that the government could announce progress on several major infrastructure projects that have remained pending for years. Among the most anticipated are the Dhaka–Barishal six-lane highway, the establishment of an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Barishal, construction of the Bhola–Barishal bridge, and the expansion of the region's natural gas pipeline network.

Local stakeholders believe implementation of these projects would significantly improve regional connectivity, accelerate industrialisation and create new employment opportunities across southern Bangladesh.

Authorities said all necessary administrative and security arrangements have been completed to ensure the Prime Minister's visit proceeds smoothly.