ZCZC
BSS-03
PM-DEPARTURE-DHAKA
PM off to Kolkata to watch Bangladesh-India 2nd test match
DHAKA, Nov 22, 2019 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left here this
morning for Kolkata on a daylong official visit to watch the second cricket
Test of the two-match Test series between Bangladesh and India that begins at
Eden Gardens at 1:30 pm (BST).
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines special flight carrying the prime minister and
her entourage members took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at
10:15am.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Liberation War Affairs
Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Chief Whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, Cabinet
Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, PM’s Principal Secretary Md Nojibur Rahman,
chiefs of the three services and Inspector General of Police (IGP), among
others, were present at the airport to see the prime minister off.
Indian Premier Narendra Modi has formally invited Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina to attend the historic day-night Test match in the West Bengal capital
of Kolkata, popularly known as ‘City of Joy’ from November 22 to 26.
Bangladesh and India will play their maiden day-night Test match where
pink ball will be used for the first time of any Test cricket match of the
two neighbours.
The flight will land at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in
Kolkata at 10:40am (Indian time).
Bangladesh high commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali will receive the
premier at the airport.
After the reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade will escort the
prime minister to Hotel Taj Bengal, Kolkata where she will be staying during
her short visit.
Sheikh Hasina will go to the Eden Gardens around 12:30pm local time where
she along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will ring the
ceremonial bell for the opening of the Test match between Bangladesh and
India.
After watching the first session of the second Test match, the prime
minister will return to her place of residence.
Sheikh Hasina will again go to the stadium in the evening.
After the first day’s match, she will join a short cultural function that
will be followed by a felicitation programme to be arranged by the Cricket
Association of Bengal at the ground of the Eden Gardens Stadium.
The prime minister will depart from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose
International Airport in Kolkata by a Biman Bangladesh Airlines special
flight at 10pm (Indian time) and the flight is expected to land at Hazrat
Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 11:30pm (BST).
Earlier, President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav
Ganguly invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart
Narendra Modi to watch the second Test match in Kolkata.
BSS/SH/AHJ/GMR/1025 hrs.