Entire Rajshahi city turns into PM’s grand rally

The Premier addressed a huge public meeting organized by Rajshahi city and district units of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) at historic Madrasha ground today as the chief guest.

Since this morning, streams of leaders, workers and supporters of AL and its front organisations with scores of processions carrying banners and posters chanting welcoming slogans were seen walking on all the streets, roads, lanes and by-lanes towards the meeting venue.

Many of the enthusiastic people, both male and female, side by side with the AL people from different parts of the city and other parts of eight districts under the Rajshahi division were also seen marching towards the venue.

They were also seen eagerly waiting for a couple of hours in the Madrasha Moidan with patience to hear the valuable speech of Prime Minister and Bangladesh Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.

The metropolis has become colourful and decorative with scores of banners, posters, placards and festoons and paintings on the roadside walls.

Many of the AL leaders and workers fixed large and medium size banners and posters on both sides of the roads and footpaths towards the meeting venue welcoming Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Apart from addressing the meeting, the Prime Minister inaugurated 25 projects implemented by different entities, including Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), with involvement of around Taka 1,316.97 crore.

The Premier also laid the foundation stones of six other projects with an estimated cost of around Taka 376.28 crore.

AL Presidium Member and RCC Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton said measures have been taken so that the public, in general, can hear the speech of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in and around three-kilometre areas in addition to the meeting venue and its adjacent Eidgah ground.

He also said 1.50 lakh bottled water were distributed among the people through motor vehicles at 13 points in the city, adding that an adequate number of volunteers remained engaged for security.

Mayor Liton said the law enforcement agencies have taken tight security measures to make the public meeting a total success.

Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) has imposed some restrictions to make the public meeting a success. It has also adopted special measures for sound traffic management.

RMP Commissioner Anisur Rahman told BSS that carrying, using, possessing and selling all kinds of firearms, explosives and crackers have been banned from 6 am on January 27 to 6 am on January 30, 2023, in the city.

Drone flying without prior permission has also been banned during the same period.

Selling and purchasing of any type of drug items, including local and foreign wine, spirits and alcohol, were also banned. Shops and bars of the drink items have been asked to shut their business during this time.

He, however, mentioned that firearms of the law enforcement agencies and other security personnel have not remained under the purview of the restriction.

Commissioner Anisur Rahman said they had imposed the restrictions to maintain a peaceful environment centring the public meeting, where a large number of people from far-flung areas of the region joined.