Prime Minister Tarique Rahman left Dhaka for Mongla by helicopter on Thursday morning on a daylong visit to Bagerhat and Khulna to attend a series of official programmes.

He departed from the old Tejgaon Airport at 9:25am, said his Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon.

During his visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between Invest Bangladesh and China Railway Construction Corporation at Mongla Port at 10am.

He is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the construction of two container jetties and ancillary infrastructure at Mongla Port at 10:30am.

Road Transport, Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Robiul Alam, BNP Special Secretary Belayet Hossain Mridha, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister ABM Abdus Sattar and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon are accompanying the Prime Minister.

Senior officials of the Special Security Force (SSF) and President Guard Regiment (PGR), along with other members of the Prime Minister's entourage, are also with him.

After completing the programmes at Mongla, Tarique will travel by road to Bagerhat district headquarters to visit the shrine of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (RA) and offer fateha there.

He is scheduled to reach the shrine at 12:45pm and offer prayers there before leaving for Khulna by road at 1:15pm.

The Prime Minister will make a brief stop at Khulna Circuit House at 2:15pm before attending the inaugural ceremony of Notun Kuri Sports (Season 2) at Khulna District Stadium at 3pm.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports has organised the competition to identify sporting talents from grassroots levels across the country.

He is scheduled to leave Khulna for Dhaka by helicopter at 4:30pm and land at Tejgaon Airport at 5:15pm.