KATMANDU, Aug 30, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was given a red
carpet reception as she reached here this morning on a two-day official visit
to attend the 4th Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral
Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) at the Nepalese capital.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines VVIP flight carrying the premier and her
entourage members landed at Tribhuvan International Airport at 9:10 am local
time when Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokharel and Bangladesh
Foreign Minister AH Mahmud Ali, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and
Ambassador in Kathmandu Mashfee Binte Shams received her at the airport.
On her arrival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was given a static guard of
honor by a smartly turned out contingent of Nepalese Army.
The summit will begin this afternoon at Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza in
Kathmandu with the participation of the heads of government of the seven-
nation regional group.
After the reception at the airport, Sheikh Hasina was escorted to Hotel
Soaltee Crowne Plaza at Tahachal Marg in a ceremonial motorcade where she
will be staying during the visit.
On the sidelines of the summit, the Bangladesh premier is expected to hold
meetings with her Indian and Nepalese counterparts Narendra Modi and KP
Sharma Oli and Bhutan’s Chief Adviser or interim government chief Dasho
Tshering Wangchuk.
Sheikh Hasina and other BIMSTEC leaders are set to make a joint call on
Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari at Sheetal Nibash, the Presidential
Palace, in Kathmandu.
They will also attend a banquet luncheon there to be hosted by the Nepalese
President. In the afternoon, Sheikh Hasina along with other leaders will
attend the opening session of the 4th BIMSTEC Summit at Hotel Soaltee Crowne
Plaza.
Countering terrorism, enhancing regional connectivity and boosting trade
are expected to be key focus of the BIMSTEC summit.
Sheikh Hasina and other BIMSTEC leaders will also join a gala dinner to be
hosted by Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the city’s Hyatt Regency
Hotel in the evening on that day.
On Friday morning, the Bangladesh Prime Minister and other leaders will
join the BIMSTEC Leaders’ Retreat and closing sessions of the summit.
Sheikh Hasina will return home on Friday afternoon.
This sub-regional organisation came into being on June 6, 1997 through the
Bangkok Declaration.
It comprises five South Asian states of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal
and Sri Lanka and two Southeast Asian ones — Myanmar and Thailand.