Khulna gears up for PM’s visit with citywide beautification, cleanliness drive

An atmosphere of festivity and unbridled enthusiasm has gripped Khulna ahead of Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman's visit, with party leaders and activists preparing to set a different example this time.

Instead of elaborate decorations to welcome their leader tomorrow, BNP activists have been working around the clock to transform the city into a clean, beautiful, and environmentally friendly urban centre.

During a visit on Monday morning, the Khulna Stadium area looked almost unrecognisable, with streets free of litter and walls adorned with colourful graffiti, including portraits of former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, reports BSS.

The city's KD Ghosh Road, Haji Mohsin Road, Lower Jashore Road and other parts of the city have been decorated with banners, festoons and arches, giving Khulna a beautiful look.

Shamsunnahar, Momtaz Begum and Ramzan Ali, who came to Khulna from Hatbati village of Batiaghata upazila to attend a court hearing in a case, were surprised by the cleanliness and decorations around the district stadium, located just a few yards from the court premises.

When they asked about the reason behind the sudden beautification, a lawyer's clerk told them that the prime minister would visit the stadium on 5 November.

"We wish the prime minister would visit again and again. The city would remain so beautiful," they remarked.
Rafiqul Mia, a retired secondary school teacher, expressed hope that the PM's Khulna visit would open a new era of establishing new industries and factories, accelerating business activities and creating job opportunities.

Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) sources said that the law enforcement agencies would join a security-related meeting this evening ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, where the responsibilities of different agencies would be assigned.

Meanwhile, the City and District units of BNP and its associate organisations have undertaken extensive preparations to make the visit memorable.

Meetings, extended sessions and consultations are being held regularly. Party leaders said their focus was on maintaining discipline along the route, avoiding unnecessary banners, festoons and arches.

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According to party sources, Khulna City and District BNP have jointly planned what they described as the largest-ever reception in the city's history.

Thousands of party activists, supporters and people from all walks of life are expected to line both sides of the long route from Kudir Battala in Rupsha through Rupsha Bypass and Sher-e-Bangla Road, past Power House intersection, to the district stadium.

Khulna City BNP General Secretary and BCB Director Shafiqul Alam Tuhin said the floral showers and enthusiastic greetings along the route would remain memorable in history.

City BNP President Advocate Shafiqul Alam Mona said party leaders and activists had been instructed to stand along both sides of the roads from the city's entrance to the district stadium to welcome the prime minister.

Former lawmaker and Khulna City Corporation (KCC) Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju said that efforts to beautify the city and carry out a cleanliness campaign were under way from Zero Point, the city's entrance, to its other areas.

BNP activists had also joined the cleanliness campaign, he added.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will make a daylong official visit to Bagerhat and Khulna on Thursday, attending development and cultural programmes, according to the Khulna District Administration.

He will leave his residence for Tejgaon Airport at 8:45am and fly to Mongla Port by helicopter at 9:15am, arriving at 10am.

He will attend the signing of an MoU between Invest Bangladesh and China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), followed by the laying of the foundation stones of two container jetties and associated facilities under the Mongla Port expansion and development project at 10:30am.

At 11:15am, he will leave for the shrine of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (R), arriving at 12:45pm for prayers. He will depart for Khulna at 1:15pm and reach the Circuit House at 2:15pm for a brief break.

He will leave for Dhaka by helicopter at 4:30pm, arriving at 5:15pm.

Khulna Deputy Commissioner Hoore Jannat said the Bagerhat and Khulna district administrations and the Divisional Commissioner's office had made necessary preparations and security arrangements for the visit.
PM to inaugurate Notun Kuri Sports Season-2

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will inaugurate the second edition of the “Notun Kuri Sports” programme simultaneously in 503 upazilas from Khulna District Stadium on Thursday.

A total of 16,23,218 participants have registered, several times the 1,68,000 recorded in the inaugural edition, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque said at a press conference at the National Sports Council on Tuesday.