ZCZC
BSS-01
RAJAPAKSA-ARRIVAL
Red carpet rolled out as Sri Lankan premier arrives
DHAKA, March 19, 2021 (BSS) – The red carpet was rolled out as Sri Lankan
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa arrived here this morning on a two-day
official visit.
The prime minister of Sri Lanka will join the celebrations marking the
golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and the birth centenary of Father
of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
A special flight of the Sri Lankan Airlines carrying Rajapaksa and his
entourage members landed at Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport (HISA)
at 9:45am.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received her Sri Lankan counterpart at the
airport.
A guard of honor was given to the Sri Lankan premier by a smartly turned
out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force there.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan,
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar
Alam, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and State Minister
for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Zunaid Ahmed Palak, among
others, were present at the airport.
Cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, and principal secretary
to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) were also present.
As part of the programme schedule, the Sri Lankan prime minister will
place wreath at the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar at 11am today, sign
the visitor’s book and plant a sapling there.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will pay a courtesy call on Mahinda
Rajapaksa at 3pm at the Presidential Suite at the Hotel Sonargaon.
The Sri Lankan premier will join the function at the National Parade
Ground at 4.30pm.
He will attend a cultural programme and banquet hosted by the Bangladesh
Prime Minister at Grand Ball Room at Hotel Intercontinental here at 7.30pm.
On Saturday, Mahinda Rajapaksa will pay homage to Bangabandhu by placing a
wreath at his portrait on the premises of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at
Dhanmondi road number 32 at 10am. He will visit the museum and sign the
visitor’s book there.
He will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister’s Office
(PMO) at 10.20 am.
Several Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) will be signed between the
two countries in presence of the two heads of the government at 11.40 am.
The Sri Lankan prime minister will pay a courtesy call on Bangladesh
President M Abdul Hamid at Credential Hall of the Bangabhaban at 5pm. He will
sign the visitor’s book there.
To join the 10-day celebration, Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari
will arrive in Dhaka on a two-day tour on March 22 and Bhutanese premier
Lotay Tshering is scheduled to be here on March 24 and 25.
Besides, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive here on March 26
and depart Dhaka on March 27.
BSS/AHJ/GMR/1048 hrs