Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Saidpur, Nilphamari, on Tuesday morning to visit Durga Puja mandaps on the occasion of Maha Navami, the ninth day of the Hindu festival of Durga Puja.

He arrived at Saidpur Airport at 9:50 am after departing from Tejgaon Airport in Dhaka aboard a military aircraft at around 9:00 am.

The prime minister was welcomed at the airport by Disaster Management and Relief Minister Asadul Habib Dulu, State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad, Rangpur City Corporation Administrator Mahfuz Un Nabi Chowdhury Don, Rangpur Development Authority Chairman Shamsuzzaman Samu, Divisional Commissioner Jahangir Alam, Deputy Inspector General Aminul Islam, Deputy Commissioner Ishrat Jahan, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Mozammel Haque and other senior officials.

PM to Visit Temples in Rangpur

During his journey from Saidpur to Rangpur, Tarique Rahman is scheduled to address brief roadside gatherings in Taraganj and Paglapir.

In Rangpur city, he is expected to visit the Durga Puja mandap at the historic Radha Gobinda Temple, attend a religious gathering and exchange festive greetings with worshippers.

A delegation accompanying the prime minister includes BNP Standing Committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy; Women and Children Affairs Minister Professor Dr A Z M Zahid Hossain; BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi; Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury; State Minister for Local Government Mir Shah Alam; Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad; Special Assistant Bijon Kanti Sarkar; BNP Special Secretary Belayet Hossain Mridha; Hindu Religious Welfare Trust Vice-Chairman and lawmaker Nipul Roy Chowdhury; BNP Assistant Organising Secretary Jayanta Kumar Kundu; and the prime minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, among others.

Nationwide Tour Includes Rajshahi and Chattogram

According to the prime minister’s itinerary, he is scheduled to leave Saidpur Airport at around 12:30 pm for Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi.

At approximately 1:15 pm, he is expected to visit a temple in Rajshahi for a religious gathering and Durga Puja celebrations. He will then take a break at the circuit house at around 2:15 pm before attending a public rally at Haji Muhammad Mohsin Government High School field at 3:00 pm.

At 4:15 pm, the prime minister is scheduled to depart for Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram.

He is expected to visit the Durga Puja mandap at Rahmatganj’s JM Sen Hall at around 5:30 pm. Following a stop at the Chattogram Circuit House at 6:45 pm, he is scheduled to leave for Dhaka at 7:45 pm and arrive at Tejgaon Airport at approximately 9:15 pm.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, Tarique Rahman visited Durga Puja mandaps in Dhaka’s Mohakhali and Banani areas, accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman.

Maha Navami is being observed across Bangladesh on Tuesday. The annual Durga Puja celebrations will conclude on Wednesday with Bijoya Dashami and the immersion of the idols.