RANGPUR, Aug 2, 2023 (BSS) - The grand rally of the ruling Awami League (AL) started at Rangpur Zilla School ground as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to join the rally around 3 pm today.

The premier arrived at Rangpur cantonment helipad by a helicopter at 01:13 PM as she was escorted to the Circuit House where she is scheduled to hold a meeting with Rangpur divisional government officials.

Sheikh Hasina, also the AL President, will address the rally at Rangpur Zilla School ground which believed to be the largest ever in the history of Rangpur to drum up public support in favour of her party's electoral symbol "Boat" ahead of the next general election.

The central and local leaders of AL and its associate bodies have already begun addressing the rally.

People from all strata of life including AL leaders and activists had started assembling the venue since early in the morning and the ground and its surrounding 10 kilometer radius areas have been full to the brim by 1pm.

AL and its associates bodies leaders and activists are seen coming to the venue in processions with colourful banners, posters, placards, small boats, and national and party flags.

They are seen chanting various slogans mainly "Sheikh Hasinar Agomon, Shuvechha Swagotom (hail Sheikh Hasina's visit to Rangpur), Awami League sarker, bar bar darker (AL government is required time and again), Sheikh Hasinar Dui Nayon, Rangpurer Unnayan (Sheikh Hasina committed to development of Rangpur), Unnyoner Sarker Bar Bar Darker, Padma Setur Sarker, Bar Bar Darker (AL is required to assume power time and again for development), Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu (Hail Bangla, Hail Bangabandhu).

To welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the entire Rangpur region got a facelift with several hundreds of makeshift gates (torons), festoons, banners, placards and posters with pictures of the Father of the Nation and the Prime Minister.

Every lanes and by-lanes of the divisional town were also decorated.

A festive mood had been prevailing among Awami League and its front and associate bodies leaders and activists, and common people for a couple of days centering the premier's tour to the district around five years after she visited Pirganj and Taraganj on December 23 in 2018.

The entire Rangpur worn a new look with decoration and lighting.

The city roads have also been decorated to welcome the prime minister.

Posters inscribed with pictures of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his daughter and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and his grandson and PM's ICT Affairs Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy as well as colorful banners and festoons were set up at roadside.

A procession of 390 transgender people under the banner of Nya Odhikar Transgender Unnayan Sangstha is seen going to the venue wearing colorful dresses.

A transgender woman Nusrat, 25, resident of 26 no ward, told the BSS correspondent that she came to join the rally to welcome the prime minister and show respect to her as the premier gave them recognition as third gender and took various measures to include them in the mainstream of the society.

"We are now becoming chairmen and members just because of the prime minister," she said.

63 years old Selim Mia, hailed from 8 no ward under Mahiganj Thana, came to the rally with a procession of over 3000 men and women. He said they started journey from their locality at 8am by a bus to join the rally.

"We are very happy as the prime minister and daughter-in-law of the district will speak to them," he said.

Many men are seen wearing blue t-shirts and blue caps while the women wear colorful sarees and blue caps.

Fazlur Rahman, 73, who came from ward no -1 wearing white t-shirt and white cap with a small national flag in hand like his fellow party colleagues, said it is not possible to repay her contribution to the overall development of Rangpur.

Saiful, 45, who came from ward 26, with a small boat made with clothes and sticks, said they are grateful to the prime minister as she took the responsibility of Rangpur as guardian and did tremendous development of the district and made the region Monga free and turned into food surplus district.

The Awami League and its associate bodies are on hot pursuit to turn the today's rally into the biggest-ever one in the history of Rangpur and thus to show its strength and public support to the ruling party ahead of the next parliamentary elections to be held at the end of December next or beginning of the coming year.

AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader visited the venue and said they will hold the biggest ever public gathering in Rangpur with assembling over 10 lakh people in and around the venue.

Rangpur district AL Convener AKM Sayadat Hossain Bokul said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's arrival made the common people enthusiastic as the entire Rangpur saw development in every sector under her dynamic leadership.

City AL Convener Dr Delwar Hossain told BSS that they have taken all-out preparation to make the "grand rally a grand success" by breaking all the previous records with ensuring participation of 10 lakh people.

Both the leaders said after taking guardianship of Rangpur, the AL president have made remarkable progress in every sector.

The district witnesses massive infrastructure advancement like construction of scores of bridges, culverts, and roads along with improvement of medicare services with building new hospitals and increase of seats.

The premier provided electricity to every house, took initiative to help producing huge crops, turned Rangpur into a hub of education and enhanced its connectivity with other districts and the capital city, the AL leaders said.

They also said the prime minister made Rangpur a division and also made Rangpur City Corporation.

Dr Delwar said over Taka 1200 crore has been allocated during the AL government to ensure overall development of Rangpur city corporation areas.

To make the rally grand success, miking was carried out at different points of densely populated areas and every street and alley of the district as the AL leaders also held meetings, and distributed leaflets.

During her visit, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate some 27 development projects and lay the foundation stones of five others.