Khulna Prepares to Welcome Prime Minister

Khulna is getting a fresh look ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit on November 5. Road dividers are being repainted, old structures are receiving fresh coats of paint, and cleaning drives are improving the city’s appearance.

Officials are working to beautify major roads, intersections and important structures. Political programmes and administrative preparations have also generated excitement among residents.

This will be Mr. Tarique Rahman’s second visit to Khulna as prime minister. He is scheduled to attend the inauguration of ‘New Buds Sports 2026’, prompting increased activity across the city. Organisers expect the event to offer an opportunity to welcome the prime minister and connect the programme with people across the country.

Beautification work is underway on various roads and at important locations. Road dividers are being painted, old structures are receiving fresh coats of paint, and roads and surrounding areas are being cleaned.

Relevant departments are working to make the city clean and attractive before the visit. Residents hope these efforts will continue even after the temporary preparations are over.

Many residents hope to see the prime minister in person, hear his speech and attend the scheduled programmes. They also expect the visit to draw attention to Khulna’s long-standing development needs, infrastructure limitations and regional potential.

Khulna is an important city in the country’s southwest. Given the region’s potential in industry, trade, fisheries, tourism and the Sundarbans, residents have long called for further development. The prime minister’s visit has renewed discussions about these expectations.

One of the main attractions of the visit is the inauguration of ‘New Buds Sports 2026’. The programme’s second phase will be launched from Khulna, with plans to connect different regions of the country virtually.

The initiative is expected to help children and adolescents develop their talents, encourage greater participation in sports and identify promising players at the grassroots level. Hosting a national sports programme in Khulna is considered significant, as it could also draw attention to the city’s sports infrastructure and opportunities for young people.

Meanwhile, the Khulna district administration has instructed various departments to complete preparations for the prime minister’s visit. These include vehicle requisition, rest areas, helipads, ambulances, emergency medical services, electricity supply, generators, fire safety arrangements and security passes.

Relevant agencies have been asked to coordinate their efforts to respond to emergencies and keep essential services operational during the visit. Preparations are also underway to ensure overall security.

Moinur Rahman Moin, an executive member of the Khulna District Red Crescent Society, said city beautification, administrative preparations, security arrangements and political programmes were underway ahead of the visit.

However, he said residents’ expectations went beyond temporary decorations and formal events. They hoped the visit would provide an opportunity to highlight Khulna’s development potential and long-standing problems at the national level.

Khulna Deputy Commissioner Hure Jannat said officials and employees of all government offices in the district had been instructed to attend work regularly and avoid unnecessary casual leave.

She added that people had been urged to remove illegal structures voluntarily. Otherwise, the structures would be demolished through mobile court operations.

SM Monirul Hasan Bappy, administrator of the Khulna District Council and acting member secretary of the district BNP, said enthusiasm was growing across Khulna ahead of the prime minister’s visit. Leaders and activists at all levels were working together to prepare the city to welcome him.

He expressed hope that each visit by the prime minister would accelerate Khulna’s development.

Referring to ‘New Buds Sports 2026’, Mr. Bappy said the programme’s second phase would be inaugurated in Khulna for the entire country. Virtual connections with different regions would help expand the programme nationwide.