Festivity in the air as Hasina is set for election rally in Kotalipara

Awami League leaders and activists have expressed enthusiasm over a planned rally by their party chief Sheikh Hasina in Kotalipara, part of her constituency in Gopalganj.

The prime minister will open her election campaign from Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Ideal Government College at 2.30pm on Wednesday.

“Festivity is in the air. Everyone looks forward to the arrival of our leader. Kotalipara has been decorated for the event,” said Mujibur Rahman Howladar, joint general secretary of the upazila wing of the ruling Awami League.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been elected MP six times from the Gopalganj-3 (Kotalipara-Tungipara) seat. We believe she will be elected again from the seat known as a ‘fortress’ of the Awami League and form the government for the third straight time.”

All necessary arrangements are in place for the rally, said Bimal Krishna Biswas, executive committee member of the Awami League’s local wing.

Thousands of people are expected to attend the prime minister’s rally, he said. The day will be celebrated with colourful processions from 16 unions and municipality areas.

The administration and law-enforcement agencies are busy with the last-minute preparation.

They are having frequent meetings completing the necessary arrangements, said Kotalipara Police Station chief Md Quamrul Farook.

The prime minister will spend the night at her ancestral home in Tungipara following the rally, said Gopalganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Mokhlesur Rahman Sarkar citing the itinerary signed by the premier’s Assistant Personal Secretary-1 Kazi Nishat Rasul.

She will start her journey back to Dhaka at 10am on Thursday morning by road.

Hasina is likely to meet the local leaders and activists of Awami League at Wednesday night, said the vice-president of upazila wing of Awami League, Md Iliyas Hossain.

Hasina has transformed the backwater of Kotalipara into a modern place, said Romen Baroi, 30, a voter from Kandi village. Hasina created jobs as part of her development efforts, he said.