Pranab Mukherjee reaches Chittagong

Former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee reached Chittagong on Tuesday morning, reports news agency UNB.

Iqbal Bahar, superintendent of Chittagong Police (SP), Zillur Rahman, deputy commissioner of the district and other higher officials received Pranab.

The former Indian President and a great friend of Bangladesh reached Shah Amanat International Airport at 11:00am and he was later taken to hotel Radisson Blu at 12:00pm, said Saleh Mohammad Tanvir, additional commissioner of Chittagong Metropolitan Police.

Pranab started his journey for Chittagong University around 12:30pm where he will stay till 2:30pm.

Chittagong University will honour the visiting former Indian President with a Doctor of Letters (D. Litt) degree through a special convocation ceremony.

The university has taken a decision in its 52nd syndicate meeting recently.

The former Indian President is also scheduled to visit two dormitories-Surya Sen and Pritilata-during his visit and will deliver a speech for the teachers and students.

Pranab, according to his programme schedule, will visit ancestral home of Masterda Surya Sen, an influential leader of Indian independence movement against British rule, at village Noapara under Raozan upazila in Chittagong to pay homage to Surya Sen.

Pranab, who served as the 13th president of India and now enjoying his retired life by reading books and writing his diary, will meet President Abdul Hamid on Wednesday evening.

Pranab, a family friend of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, arrived in Dhaka on Sunday on private visit.

The former Indian President will leave for New Delhi by a Jet Airways flight at 10:20am on Thursday.