Opposition leader arrives in Chattogram, PM due in evening
More than 20,000 personnel from the police, SSF, Ansar and BGB will be deployed for the prime minister’s visit.
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition Shafiqur Rahman arrived in Chattogram this morning (20 October) for organisational programmes, while Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit a Durga Puja mandap in the city this evening.
Shafiqur landed at Shah Amanat International Airport around 8am.
Speaking to The Business Standard, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General and Chattogram Regional Director Muhammad Shahjahan said Shafiqur had arrived to attend the 2026 former associates and members' conference organised by the party's Chattogram city unit.
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After landing, Shafiqur attended a conference for the party's northern district union-level leaders at Safa Orchid in Chawkbazar. He was scheduled to attend the former associates and members' conference at GEC Convention Centre later in the day.
"He will return to Dhaka on an afternoon flight after completing the two programmes. Both are internal organisational programmes, and he will not speak to journalists due to time constraints," Muhammad Shahjahan said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to visit the Durga Puja mandap at JM Sen Hall in Chattogram this evening to exchange greetings with members of the Hindu community and provide financial assistance.
He will then attend an organisational meeting with BNP leaders at Hotel Radisson Blu before leaving for Dhaka late at night via Shah Amanat International Airport.
Leaders of the BNP's Chattogram city, north and south district units are expected to attend the meeting, along with members of the full committees of the city and south district units, five senior leaders from each affiliated and associate organisation, MPs and central leaders.
Mahbuber Rahman Shamim, BNP central organising secretary in charge of Chattogram division and administrator of Chattogram District Council, told TBS that the prime minister would attend the meeting after visiting the Puja mandap and exchanging greetings with members of the Hindu community.
More than 20,000 personnel from the police, Special Security Force (SSF), Ansar and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will be deployed for the prime minister's visit, according to relevant sources.
Security measures will include regular inspections of around 2,600 Puja mandaps across the city, mobile patrols and surveillance by plainclothes intelligence personnel. A special striking force will remain on standby to respond to any untoward incident.
In addition to safety and security measures, work is underway to repair roads and clear footpaths of illegal encroachments ahead of the Prime Minister's visit.
