United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived in Sylhet on Saturday morning on his first official visit to the divisional city since assuming office. He landed at Osmani International Airport at 10:05am on a domestic flight accompanied by his wife, Dr Zubaida Rahman, Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon told UNB. Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Ariful Haque Chowdhury, Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Kaiyum Chowdhury, Divisional Commissioner Mashiur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner Sarwar Alam and other senior officials received the Prime Minister at the airport. From the airport, Tarique headed straight to the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (R)where he is scheduled to offer fateha. Earlier in the morning, the Prime Minister left his Gulshan residence for Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 8:25am. During the day-long visit, he will lay the foundation stone of a Sylhet City Corporation project at Chandni Ghat aimed at easing waterlogging in the city and address a civic gathering there. At noon, he is scheduled to inaugurate the re-excavation of the Baisha River in Kashipur Union under Sylhet Sadar upazila. After offering Zuhr prayers and having lunch at the Circuit House, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Notun Kuri Sports-2026 at Sylhet District Stadium at 3:00pm. Tarique Rahman is also scheduled to attend a meeting with party leaders and workers at the Shilpakala Academy later in the day. He is expected to return to Dhaka in the evening. This will be Tarique Rahman's first visit to Sylhet as the Prime Minister. He last visited the city on January 21 during the campaign for the 13th parliamentary election, in his first trip to Sylhet in nearly two decades.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Wednesday told Parliament that the feasibility study for implementing the Teesta Master Plan has already been completed. Replying to a starred question from Gaibandha-1 MP Majedur Rahman during the question-answer session, he said the Bangladesh Water Development Board completed the study. "The feasibility study report has recommended dredging of 110 kilometres of the Teesta River under the Teesta Master Plan," the Prime Minister said. He said the technical and financial aspects of the feasibility study report are now being examined at different levels. "Once the review process is completed and the project is found technically viable, a timeline for implementation will be fixed," Tarique said. He said the Teesta is a fast-flowing river and excessive rainfall during the monsoon often causes flash floods and riverbank erosion in the region. "On the other hand, water flow drops sharply during the dry season, and in many places it almost reaches zero," he said. He also noted that heavy silt carried by monsoon waters causes the riverbed to fill up, splitting the Teesta into multiple channels. The first 30 minutes of Wednesday's parliamentary sitting, chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, were allocated for the Prime Minister's question time.

European Union (EU) Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday. The meeting was held at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Bangladesh Secretariat, where Miller led an EU delegation, said a PMO release. During the meeting, the Prime Minister and the EU Ambassador discussed issues of mutual interest, including strengthening bilateral relations. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir were present at the meeting.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended his office at the Secretariat for the third consecutive day on Sunday morning, where he enquired about the punctuality of cabinet members and other officials. PM’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said the Prime Minister arrived at the Secretariat at 9:05am. “Many were surprised to see the Prime Minister at the office so early,” he added. After reaching his office, Rumon said, the Prime Minister enquired which ministers, state ministers and advisers had already arrived. He also gave verbal instructions that all officials must be present at their offices on time. Tarique Rahman took oath as Prime Minister on February 17. The following day, he began working at his Secretariat office and continued there for two days. On Sunday, which was a public holiday, he worked from the Prime Minister’s Office in Tejgaon.