Rangpur welcomes PM for historic Durga Puja visit

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has arrived in Rangpur to inspect puja mandaps and exchange greetings with members of the Hindu community during the Sharadiya Durga Puja festival.

The Prime Minister arrived at the Radha Govinda Temple (Dharmasabha) in the city at 12:00 PM on Tuesday (October 20).

Earlier, he landed at Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari by air at 9:50 AM, where local leaders and activists warmly received him with floral greetings. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman then departed Saidpur Airport by bus for Rangpur, waving to crowds of BNP leaders, party activists, and citizens who lined both sides of the road to greet him.

In preparation for the Prime Minister's visit, local party leaders, along with the Rangpur City Corporation, enhanced cleanliness drives and security arrangements across the city.

Members of the Hindu community and local political leaders characterized the Prime Minister's visit to puja mandaps outside the capital as a rare and historic event, expressing confidence that his presence will foster communal harmony in the region.

Subash Chandra, a devotee at the Anandamoyi Sebashram Temple, remarked, "We have never seen a Prime Minister visit puja mandaps outside Dhaka. The fact that it is happening here in Rangpur is a immense privilege for us."

Echoing similar sentiments, Jiban Ghosh at the Sri Sri Kalibari Temple noted, "We never anticipated that the Prime Minister would visit Rangpur to exchange greetings and inspect mandaps with us. Many of us are eagerly waiting to see him in person."

Partha Bose, President of the Radha Govinda Temple, added that the Prime Minister's firsthand observation of festival celebrations in the northern region brings great joy to local devotees.

A four-tier security arrangement was deployed for the visit. Top law enforcement officials, alongside personnel from the Special Security Force (SSF), National Security Intelligence (NSI), police, and the Commanding Officer of 51 BGB, inspected the venues ahead of the Prime Minister's arrival.

Rangpur District Commissioner Israt Jahan confirmed that administrative preparations were fully finalized to ensure a smooth visit, during which the Prime Minister will exchange Sharadiya greetings directly with devotees.

Member Secretary of Rangpur City BNP and Administrator of Rangpur City Corporation, Mahfuz Un-Nabi Chowdhury Don, noted that the visit generated widespread enthusiasm among citizens, particularly within the Hindu community.

He further highlighted recent development initiatives for the region, stating that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman recently approved two development projects worth Tk 1,800 crore for Rangpur, alongside an additional allocation of Tk 127 crore across six parliamentary constituencies in the district to address long-standing infrastructure needs.

Rangpur ready to welcome PM