Prime Minister Tarique Rahman made an unannounced visit to BIAM Laboratory School in the capital’s New Eskaton area on Saturday morning, where he spent time talking to students and advising them to balance study with sport.

The prime minister entered classrooms and chatted with children, who rushed to shake his hand and request autographs, his additional press secretary, Atiqur Rahman Ruman, said. Teachers became emotional watching the exchanges, he added.

The visit was unscripted and came shortly after Rahman laid the foundation stone for the BIAM Foundation’s training-cum-dormitory building on the same campus. “He just suddenly decided to visit the school,” Ruman said.

Pupils clustered around the prime minister, who urged them to play sports alongside their academic work before leaving to inspect foundation operations and meet officials.