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Rangpur city has worn an unprecedented festive look with unbridled enthusiasm among the common people ahead of the visit of Prime Minister and Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina here tomorrow.
She will attend a mammoth public rally organised by the Rangpur district and city units of Awami League to launch the campaign for the national election to be held at the end of this year or the beginning of the next year.
The ground and stage decoration works are nearing completion and extensive security measures have been taken to make the arrival and departure of people in safe and secured with utmost caution.
Official sources said suspicious vehicles and persons are being checked along the entry routes of the city where more than 1000 CCTV cameras have been installed and car parking has been arranged at 21 points.
The organizers said the public rally will turn into a human sea from where the Prime Minister will start the election campaign.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also daughter-in-law of Rangpur, is coming to the divisional city after almost an era since her last visit to the city on January 8, 2011 when she took responsibility for the development of Rangpur on her own shoulder.
Leaders and activists of Awami League, Jubo League, Chhatra League, Mahila Awami League, Swechchasebak League and other associate organizations are excited as a wave of unbridled enthusiasm prevails among them centering the Prime Minister’s visit.
A massive and colorful campaign is going on. The entire city is covered with colorful posters, banners, festoons and billboards welcoming the Prime Minister.
Electric poles, lamp posts, walls and trees are not empty anywhere in the city while the roads and road dividers have been washed, polished and colorfully decorated.
Singing and dancing to the rhythm of musical instruments and music is going on in addition to public meetings. Loudspeakers have been set up at the Intersections of Bangladesh Bank, Zilla School, Post Office, Surovi Udyan, Police Lines, City Bazaar and different other points.
Central leaders including Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Joint General Secretary and Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, Awami League Presidium Members and other senior leaders have come to Rangpur and supervising the preparations.
Rangpur District Awami League Joint Convener Advocate Md Anwarul Islam said, “We have made extensive preparations. Meetings have been held starting from yard meetings in neighborhoods and rallies at different places.”
Besides, processions are being organized in villages, cities and business centres. Extensive mass communication has been carried out across all unions, upazilas and district headquarters of Rangpur division.
“The massive developments of the Awami league government during the last 15 years are highlighted. People eagerly waiting to join the mammoth public meeting and hear the Prime Minister,” he added.
Rangpur District Awami League former Publicity and Publication Secretary Rosy Rahman said, “We are very happy and excited. We are all united in excitement over the visit of Sheikh Hasina, the daughter-in-law of Rangpur, the daughter of Bangabandhu.”
Former President of Rangpur District Chhatra League Mehedee Hasan Siddiqui Rony said the Prime Minister’s visit to Rangpur and the mammoth public meeting will definitely have a great impact on the upcoming national elections.
Meanwhile, a member of state agencies including SSF are working in the Rangpur Zilla School ground rally venue with utmost caution.
In the southwest corner of the field, a platform has been built in the shape of a boat and the media, freedom fighters and guest corners are in the next. The crowd will be in front.
Sujit Roy Nandi, Organizing Secretary in charge of Awami League’s Rangpur division, said the whole division of Rangpur is in a festive mood centering the Prime Minister’s public rally.
“As the Prime Minister is Bangabandhu’s able daughter, her charismatic leadership will sway people regardless of party affiliation. The whole city will be crowded with people,” he said, hoping that people from all walks of life and professionals will participate in this rally.
“Not only the Zilla School grounds, the entire city will become a sea of people with overflowing crowds,” Nandi added.
Awami League Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak said all preparations of the Prime Minister’s rally have already been completed where 10 lakh people will gather and the whole Rangpur city will be transformed into a crowd of ‘Joy Bangla’ and ‘Human Sea’.
“InshaAllah, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will begin election campaign from this northern city of Rangpur against BNP-Jamaat’s terrorism, arson, murder and anti-state activities,” he added.
Meanwhile, the law enforcement forces covered the entire city with a security blanket centering the public rally.
The Traffic Department of Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RpMP) has fixed 21 points in the city for parking vehicles coming from different routes. More than 1000 CCTV cameras have been installed. Surveillance has been increased at entrances and important road junctions.
Deputy Commissioner of Police of RpMP (Crime) Md Abu Maruf Hossain said, “We have arranged all kinds of security centering the public rally. In addition to the uniformed police, there will be armed and plainclothes law enforcement personnel.”
Apart from the public rally venue, there will be routine duty at check posts, important entrances and junctions of the entire city and trained law enforcement personnel will be on the roofs of high-rise buildings and on every floor of high-risk buildings.
Abu Maruf said, “We have brought the public rally place, the entire city and the circuit house under CCTV coverage. We have installed more than 1,000 CCTV cameras with the cooperation of Rangpur City Corporation. We will monitor it digitally.”
Besides, an adequate number of law enforcement personnel will be present in the field and throughout the city.
“The organizers will be accompanied by volunteers. All our preparations are done so that people can come to the field smoothly; listen to the rally in a beautiful environment and go back home smoothly,” he said.
Abu Maruf said, “We will not tolerate any untoward incident in Rangpur city on the occasion of the arrival of the Prime Minister. Anyone who tries to do so will be severely dealt with. We have all kinds of preparations and the ability to prevent any kind of incident.”
According to the tour schedule, the Prime Minister will arrive in Rangpur by helicopter from Tejgaon Airport in the capital on Wednesday at 12:30 noon.
At 2 pm the helicopter carrying the Prime Minister will land at the helipad of Rangpur Cantonment from where she will leave for Rangpur Circuit House by road at 2:05 pm.
After reaching the Circuit House, the Prime Minister will exchange views with division level government officials.
Later, she will reach the grand rally place at Rangpur Zilla School ground at 3 pm and inaugurate various projects taken for the development of Rangpur division.
The Prime Minister will announce the inauguration of 27 development projects and lay the foundation stones of five projects in Rangpur.
The Prime Minister will leave for Dhaka again on the same route in the afternoon after addressing the mass rally.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last visited Rangpur on December 23, 2018 and addressed two election rallies in Pirganj and Taraganj upazilas of Rangpur.
She is coming to Rangpur again after more than four and a half years.
Earlier, Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had promised to shoulder the responsibility of development in the public rally of the Grand Alliance at Rangpur Zilla School ground on January 8, 2011.