Chattogram prepares for Tarique Rahman’s Sunday visit

Chattogram is gearing up to welcome Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, who is scheduled to visit the port city on Sunday (9 August) for a series of government and party programmes.

The daylong visit will be his first to Chattogram since taking office on 17 February. He is scheduled to travel from Maheshkhali in Cox's Bazar to Banshkhali and other parts of Chattogram during the visit.

Tarique Rahman is expected to reach Maheshkhali by around 9am, where he will inspect the Matarbari Deep Sea Port, the coal-fired power plant and activities of the Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (MIDA).

He will then travel by helicopter to Baharchhara beach in Banshkhali around noon to attend a government programme for the rehabilitation of recent flood victims. He will distribute relief materials and hand over keys to newly built homes to 100 families who lost their houses in the floods.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to travel to Fatikchhari at around 1pm, where he will pay a courtesy visit to Hefazat-e-Islam Ameer Allama Shah Muhibullah Babunagari at Al Jamiatul Islamia Azizul Ulum Babunagar Madrasa.

He will later visit Al-Jamiatul Ahlia Darul Ulum Mainul Islam Madrasa in Hathazari to pay respects at the grave of the late Allama Shah Ahmed Shafi.

After a brief stop at the district council dak bungalow, Tarique Rahman will attend another flood rehabilitation programme at the government college ground in Hathazari.

According to BNP sources, he will provide Tk1 lakh to each of 30 flood-affected families to help rebuild their homes. The grants will be provided on behalf of Chattogram-5 MP and State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin. He will also provide Tk10,000 each to 15 people with disabilities.

In the evening, the Prime Minister will attend an organisational meeting with BNP leaders and activists from Chattogram at the Radisson Blu Hotel. Party leaders said the meeting will bring together members of the full committees of the Chattogram metropolitan, north and south district BNP units, along with leaders of 11 affiliated and associated organisations.

The meeting is expected to provide grassroots leaders with an opportunity to exchange views directly with the party chairman and Prime Minister. Chattogram Metropolitan BNP Member Secretary Nazimur Rahman said leaders holding positions in BNP and its affiliated organisations would attend the meeting under specific selection criteria. Some senior party leaders who do not currently hold posts but have longstanding involvement with BNP may also be invited, he said.

State Minister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin said the Prime Minister remained focused on addressing people's hardships and had directed that flood victims in Chattogram be rehabilitated quickly.

“The government is currently building homes in Banshkhali, while other upazilas are receiving financial support as required,” he said. Regarding the organisational meeting, he said Tarique Rahman considered grassroots leaders and activists the foundation of the party and wanted to maintain direct communication with them.

“He will engage directly with grassroots leaders and activists from the three organisational units of BNP in Chattogram, along with 11 organs and associated organisations,” he said.

Southern District BNP Member Secretary Lion Helal Uddin said there would be no public rally during the visit, but thousands of people were expected to gather to see the Prime Minister because of his popularity. Tarique Rahman is scheduled to leave Chattogram for Dhaka at 9:20pm on 9 August.