Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has left for Cox's Bazar on his first visit to the coastal district since taking office as prime minister.
He set out from his Gulshan residence for Shahjalal International Airport around 8:30am on Saturday, his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman said.
Tarique’s wife Zubaida Rahman is travelling with him.
After completing tree plantation, canal excavation and other scheduled programmes, the premier is expected to return to Dhaka at night, Ruman added.
Upon landing in Cox’s Bazar, the premier will get his tour under way at 10:30am by opening the Patali Canal re-excavation work in PM Khali Union, where he will also speak at a public rally.
His schedule includes a visit to Dulahazara Safari Park, followed by the launch of a nationwide 250-million tree-planting drive at Malumghat Reserved Forest.
He will then travel to Pekua Upazila to visit the grave of Md Wasim Akram, who was killed during the July Uprising of 2024, and meet his family.
The prime minister will also lay the foundation stones for the newly formed Pekua Municipality and Matamuhuri Upazila before joining a public rally organised by the district Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) outside Chakaria municipal bus terminal in the afternoon.
He is later scheduled to tour Marine Drive and the sea beach, then attend a civic reception at Long Beach Hotel in the evening before flying back to the capital.
Tarique returned to Bangladesh on Dec 25 last year after spending more than 15 years in London.
This is his first trip to Cox’s Bazar since taking office as prime minister after the BNP won a majority in the February elections.
The district administration and law-enforcing agencies have stepped up security and made extensive preparations ahead of his visit.
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