Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Tuesday visited a Durga Puja mandap at Dharmasabha Temple in Rajshahi and exchanged greetings with members of the Hindu community on the occasion of Sharadiya Durga Puja.

The Prime Minister went to the temple after attending a public rally at the Madrasah Ground in Rajshahi in the afternoon. Temple authorities and representatives of the Hindu community welcomed him there.

Tarique visited the puja mandap and interacted with devotees and worshippers before attending a views-exchange meeting at the temple. He also planted a sapling on the premises.

BNP acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP Standing Committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Cultural Affairs Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Mir Shahe Alam, Prime Minister’s Adviser Rehan Asif Asad, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant Bijon Kanti Sarkar, BNP Special Secretary Belayet Hossain Mridha, Hindu Religious Welfare Trust Vice-Chairman Nipun Roy Chowdhury, MP, BNP Assistant Organising Secretary Jayanta Kumar Kundu, Rajshahi City Corporation Administrator Mahfuzur Rahman Riton, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, among others, were present.

Earlier, Tarique Rahman joined a public rally at the historic Madrasah Ground, also known as Haji Muhammad Mohsin Government High School Ground, in Rajshahi at 3:25pm.

At the rally, he inaugurated a programme to distribute Tk 12 crore in incentives among 38,970 sugarcane farmers.

The Prime Minister arrived at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi aboard a military aircraft at 2:55pm after visiting a puja mandap in Rangpur.

On his way from the airport to the rally venue, thousands of people stood along both sides of the road to greet him. He responded by waving to them from inside the bus.

After completing his programmes in Rajshahi, Tarique Rahman left for Chattogram around 6.30pm to visit a puja mandap there, said Prime Minister's Assistant Press Secretary Abdullah Al Mahmud Shahriar.

Earlier, Tarique Rahman arrived in Rangpur from Dhaka on a military aircraft, which landed at Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari.

On his way from Saidpur to Rangpur, he attended two roadside rallies at Taraganj and Paglapir before visiting the puja mandap at Radha Gobinda Temple in Rangpur.

Durga Puja will conclude on Wednesday with the immersion of idols on Bijoya Dashami.