Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrives in Cox’s Bazar

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Cox’s Bazar on his first official visit to the coastal district since assuming office.

The Prime Minister landed at Cox’s Bazar Airport around 10:00am aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight on Saturday morning (June 13), accompanied by his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed received the Prime Minister at the airport.

Among the others, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, State Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam, and State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam were present there.

Earlier in the morning, the prime minister departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka for Cox’s Bazar.

In his visit, the prime minister is scheduled to undertake a series of development, environmental and public engagement programmes throughout the day.

According to the official itinerary, Tarique Rahman will first travel to PM khali in Cox’s Bazar Sadar, where he will inaugurate the re-excavation of the historic Patlikhal canal, originally dug during the tenure of late President Ziaur Rahman. He is also scheduled to address a brief roadside gathering there.

At noon, the prime minister will formally launch a nationwide campaign to plant 250 million trees by planting saplings at Dulahazara Safari Park in Chakaria.

As part of the visit, he will pay respects at the grave of Wasim Akram, the first martyr from Cox’s Bazar during the July Uprising, and meet members of the martyr’s family. He will later lay the foundation stones for the newly formed Pekua Municipality and the proposed Matamuhuri Upazila.

Following a lunch break and rest at the residence of Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed in Pekua, the prime minister is scheduled to address a BNP public rally at Chakaria Bus Terminal at 4:00pm.

He will later attend a civic reception in Cox’s Bazar town and visit the Marine Drive and sea beach before departing for Dhaka at around 10:00pm.

The visit has prompted extensive preparations by the district administration, law enforcement agencies and local BNP leaders and activists.

Additional Superintendent of Police Debdut Majumder said the highest level of security measures had been put in place for the Prime Minister’s visit. He noted that police, other law enforcement agencies and government departments, including Roads and Highways, Public Works, and the Power Division, were working in coordination to ensure the smooth execution of all programmes.

Cox’s Bazar Deputy Commissioner Md A. Mannan said all administrative preparations had been completed and that necessary coordination among relevant agencies was already in place to ensure the successful and secure implementation of the prime minister’s scheduled engagements.