The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has requested the political parties not to hold any program from March 17 to 26 this year when a number of important foreign guests will visit the country.
Any political party, ignoring the request and going ahead with programs during this period will be considered anti-state, DMP’s counter-terrorism unit chief and acting commissioner Md Monirul Islam said at a press conference on Sunday.
Bangladesh is all set to observe the golden jubilee of independence and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through a series of special programmes from March 17 to 26.
A number of foreign guests will visit the country during the 10-day special program. Their movement will affect the city traffic.
Monirul urged the Dhaka residents to be patient and leave for their destinations earlier than they usually do.
Programmes during the 10-day period will be organised maintaining health protocol amid the Covid-19 outbreak. Local and foreign guests will participate.
Among the programmes, there will be separate theme-based discussion, cultural events, audio-visual and other presentations to pay tribute to Bangabandhu every day.
President Abdul Hamid will be present in the programme on March 17, 22 and 26, while Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend events on March 17, 19, 22, 24 and 26.
Presidents and heads of the governments of different countries will be present as guests of honour at the programmes on March 17, 19, 22, 24 and 26.
President of the Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will be present at the programme as the guest of honour on March 17, while Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa on March 19, President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari on March 22, Prime Minister of Bhutan Lotay Tshering on March 24 and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on March 26.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will deliver welcome speeches at the program on March 17, while Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on March 18, OIC Secretary-General Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen on March 20, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on March 22, Pope Francis on March 24, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun and Japanese friend of Bangladesh Takashi Hayakawa’s son Osamu Hayakawa on March 25.
