Extensive preparations are underway across Rajshahi city ahead of the visit of Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman on Tuesday to extend Sharadiya Durga Puja greetings to members of the Sanatan community.
During his visit, the prime minister is scheduled to visit the puja mandap at Rajshahi Dhormosobha Temple and address a public rally at the historic Madrasa Ground.
Concerned departments are actively working to prepare the rally venue, repair roads, carry out cleaning and beautification drives, and ensure overall security across the city.
On Friday at around 11:30am, Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) Administrator Mahfujur Rahman Riton inspected the rally venue at Haji Muhammad Muhsin Government High School Ground, which is popularly known as Madrasa Ground.
During the inspection, he reviewed cleanliness work, wall painting, repair of roads adjacent to the ground, and stage construction preparations, while directing officials to complete all tasks quickly and smoothly.
Speaking after the inspection, the RCC Administrator remarked that the prime minister’s visit to Rajshahi is a matter of emotion and feelings for city residents, who are eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of him.
He said that preparations are being made through close coordination with Land Minister Md Mizanur Rahman Minu, leaders of Rajshahi Metropolitan BNP and its associate and affiliate organisations, divisional and district administrations, law enforcement agencies, and leaders of the Sanatan community.
Riton added that the City Corporation has stepped up citywide cleanliness and beautification initiatives for the prime minister’s arrival, including painting road divider islands, repairing essential roads, and improving the overall urban environment.
According to the official schedule provided by the RCC administrator, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will visit the puja mandap at Rajshahi Dhormosobha Temple at 1:30pm on Tuesday. He is then scheduled to attend the public rally at Madrasa Ground at 3pm, where an incentive distribution programme among sugarcane farmers is also set to take place.
Earlier on Thursday night, a preparatory meeting was held at the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) headquarters regarding the prime minister’s visit and Durga Puja celebrations, with Land Minister Md Mizanur Rahman Minu attending as the chief guest. Discussions focused on making the prime minister’s visit orderly and seamless, maintaining normal law and order, strengthening inter-agency coordination, ensuring public safety, and maintaining a peaceful atmosphere at puja mandaps, with directions issued to all personnel to perform their duties properly.
As per his itinerary for Tuesday, prime minister will fly from Dhaka to Syedpur aboard a military aircraft in the morning. After visiting the Rangpur Dhormosobha (Radha Gobinda Temple), he will arrive in Rajshahi.
Following his Rajshahi schedule, he is scheduled to visit the puja mandap at J M Sen Hall in Rahmatganj, Chattogram, before returning to Dhaka at night, thereby conveying Sharadiya Durga Puja greetings across three divisions of the country on the same day.
During the inspection of Madrasa Ground, RCC Chief Executive Officer Rezaul Karim, Secretary Sohel Rana, officials from the engineering, conservancy, and health departments, and various leaders of Rajshahi Metropolitan BNP and its associate and affiliate organisations were present.
The preparatory meeting at RMP headquarters was attended by Member of Parliament for Rajshahi-3 constituency Mohammad Shofiqul Haque Milon, RCC Administrator Mahfujur Rahman Riton, Divisional Commissioner Yousof Ali, RMP Commissioner Mohammad Fayezul Kabir, District Council Administrator Ershad Ali Esha, Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA) Chairman Abul Kalam Azad Sweet, and District Superintendent of Police Md Mamun Or Roshid, along with other senior officials.
