Overview
- On Tuesday Oct. 20 the prime minister flew from Dhaka to Saidpur and travelled by road to Rangpur to visit the Radha Govinda Dharmasabha temple on Mahanavami before continuing to Rajshahi and Chattogram the same day.
- He exchanged greetings with devotees, posed for selfies, and was met along the route by ministers, local officials and large crowds of party supporters who welcomed his motorcade.
- Rahman urged religious unity and equal security for all citizens, saying "Religion is for individuals; the state belongs to everyone," and called for peace and shared development.
- The government approved an increase in the central Durga Puja grant from Tk 4 crore to Tk 5 crore after the prime minister’s approval and officials also handed a Tk 10 lakh cheque to the Rangpur temple.
- Durga Puja will end with idol immersion on Bijoya Dashami on Oct. 21 and local organisers said Rangpur alone has about 964 pandals this year, a detail that highlights the festival’s size and why visible state outreach matters for communal confidence.