Tarique Rahman to travel to Cox’s Bazar, Chattogram on Jan 18

Tarique Rahman is set to visit Chattogram for the first time in nearly two decades.

The BNP acting chief will attend a prayer gathering for his mother Khaleda Zia at the premises of Jamiyatul Falah National Mosque on the afternoon of Jan 18, said Chattogram city BNP member secretary Nazimur Rahman on Thursday.

He will remain in Chattogram that night, but no political programme has been planned for this visit so far.

Nazimur said, “On the 18^th of January, [Tarique] will fly from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar. There, he will pay respects at the grave of Shaheed Wasim Akram.”

Wasim, a leader of the Chattogram College Student Wing, was killed during the July Uprising. He hailed from Pekua in Cox’s Bazar district.

Tarique will then travel by road from Cox’s Bazar to Chattogram.

“The prayer is our pre-scheduled event. We cannot confirm the exact time [of the prayer] yet, but the road journey from Cox’s Bazar will take at least three hours,” Nazimur added.

Asked about overnight arrangements, he said a decision on where he’ll spend the night has yet to be determined.

“All preparations have begun. He last visited Chattogram over 20 years ago to campaign for mayoral candidate Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin in the 2005 city corporation elections,” Nazimur said.

Details of who will accompany Tarique on this visit have not been disclosed.

Tarique’s father, former president Ziaur Rahman, was killed in a military coup at the Chattogram Circuit House on May 30, 1981. The Circuit House has since been converted into the “President Bir Uttam Ziaur Rahman Memorial Museum”, housing several of his personal belongings.

BNP leaders could not confirm whether Tarique will visit the museum or, if he does, when.