Prime Minister and BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman spent a busy, event-filled Saturday in Cox’s Bazar, executing a series of high-profile developmental inaugurations, paying tribute to a July uprising martyr and visiting regional wildlife conservation landmarks during his daylong tour of the coastal district.
The premier initiated his regional schedule by officially laying the foundation stone of the newly formed Pekua Municipality at approximately 1:30 pm.
Following the formal stone-laying ceremonies, a special prayer was offered, after which the Prime Minister greeted the massive gathered crowd by waving his hand.
Reflecting on the historical significance of the area's development, Tarique Rahman addressed the local people directly:
“Twenty-five years ago Begum Khaleda Zia had laid the foundation stone of Pekua Upazila. Today, the government of her party BNP has once again laid the foundation stone of this municipality.”
He further emphasized the political philosophy of the ruling party, asserting,
“This repeatedly proves that whenever the BNP is in state power, it works for the people and for the welfare of the country. Even when the BNP is not in power, it works in the interest of the country and for the welfare of the people. It always speaks for the common people.”
The BNP Chairman added that whether the party is holding executive authority or not is secondary, stating,
“The party’s main concern is the interests of the country and its people. This is the BNP’s sole goal and commitment.”
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam were among the high-level dignitaries present alongside the premier during the municipal inauguration.
Following the foundation ceremony, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman traveled to the Mehernama Bazarpara area of Pekua Upazila to offer ziarat at the grave of Mohammad Wasim Akram, who embraced martyrdom during the anti-discrimination student movement in July 2024.
The premier recited the holy Fateha and offered special prayers (dua) seeking the eternal peace of Wasim's departed soul.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and lawmaker from the Cox's Bazar-3 constituency, Lutfur Rahman Kajal, were present at the gravesite.
After completing the religious rituals, the Prime Minister met directly with the grieving family members of Wasim Akram to inquire about their well-being.
During this emotional meeting, the Premier handed over a financial savings certificate worth Taka 20 lakh to Shaheed Wasim's mother, Jotsna Begum.
Wasim Akram, a fourth-year undergraduate student in the Department of Sociology at Chattogram College and a member of the college unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) convening committee, was killed on July 16, 2024, during a violent clash involving police, protesters and members of the banned student organization Chhatra League in Chattogram's Muradpur area.
Wasim was the second among five children born to Shafiul Alam and Jotsna Begum.
Later in the afternoon, the Prime Minister shifted focus toward regional environmental projects.
After inaugurating the re-excavation of the historic Patali Canal in Pmkhali Union, the Prime Minister took the wheel of his vehicle, driving himself from Cox's Bazar Airport down the regional highway to the Patali Canal venue, and later onward to his next destination.
Seated beside him in the front passenger seat was Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, while the Prime Minister’s wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and the Home Minister’s wife, Hasina Ahmed, traveled in the back seats.
The Prime Minister arrived at the Dulahazara Safari Park in Chakaria Upazila at approximately 2 pm.
Thousands of local residents, alongside enthusiastic BNP leaders and activists, lined both sides of the roads throughout his entire transit route, greeting the passing premier with flower petals, waves, and rhythmic slogans.
Upon their arrival at the park, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his wife, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, were formally welcomed by Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo and State Minister Sheikh Faridul Islam.
Markedly commemorating the visit, the Prime Minister planted a sapling of a cannonball tree (locally known as Nagalingam) directly in front of the safari park's main entrance gate. Both Prime Minister Tarique and Dr. Zubaida then signed the official visitors’ book of the park.
The Premier and the First Lady toured various sections of the sprawling reserve with keen interest, critically observing its structural facilities, wildlife habitats, and ongoing ecological conservation activities.
Although Cox’s Bazar remains globally famous for its expansive sea beach, the Dulahazara Safari Park stands as one of the district’s most vital ecological assets.
Located about 107 kilometers from Chattogram city and roughly 47 kilometers from Cox’s Bazar town, it is recognized as Bangladesh’s very first safari park.
The sanctuary originally evolved from a modest deer breeding center established by the Forest Department during the 1980-81 fiscal year on 42.5 hectares of wooded land.
The government subsequently expanded the territory and developed the infrastructure into a fully fledged safari park, which now hosts hundreds of wild animals roaming freely in a natural environment across protected hills, forests, and water bodies, serving as a prominent destination for regional tourists, wildlife enthusiasts, and academic researchers alike.
