PM Hasina arrives in Kolkata to meet Modi
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in Kolkata on Friday morning on a two-day visit to West Bengal at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport at 9:40am (local time), reports UNB.
Foreign minister AH Mahmood Ali, education minister Nurul Islam Nahid, cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor and prime minister’s advisers on political, economic, foreign and energy affairs are accompanying her in the visit.
During her visit, the premier will inaugurate Bangladesh Bhaban jointly with Narendra Modi at Visva Bharati and hold a meeting with him there today. Sheikh Hasina will also attend Visva Bharati Convocation Ceremony as the Guest of Honour there.
She will receive an honorary of Doctor of Literature, to be awarded by the Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol on Saturday.
From the NSCBI Airport, Sheikh Hasina will depart for Visva Bharati, Santiniketan by a helicopter.
Vice chancellor of Visva Bharati professor Sabuj Koli Sen will receive the prime minister at Santiniketan.
Narendra Modi will receive Sheikh Hasina at Rabindra Bhaban. She will then place flowers at Rabindra chair.
She will depart for convocation venue at Amrakanon and attend Visva Bharati Convocation Ceremony.
Hasina will take part in the convocation procession and oath ceremony.
After the convocation ceremony, the Bangladesh prime minister and her Indian counterpart will jointly unveil the plaque of Bangladesh Bhaban.
Tagore’s song ‘Anandaloke Mongolaloke will be played at the ceremony. The vice chancellor of Visva Bharati will deliver the welcome speech.
After the inaugural function, Sheikh Hasina and Narendra Modi will sit in the meeting. After the meeting, she will leave Santiniketan for Kolkata by a helicopter.
On her return to Kolkata, prime minister Sheikh Hasina will visit Jorasanko Thakur Bari. Later, local chamber leaders will meet her.
On 26 May, the prime minister will go to Kazi Nazrul University (KNU), Asansol to receive the degree of Doctor of Literature.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines will depart from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport, Kolkata for the Kazi Nazrul Islam (KNI) Airport, Andal, Durgapur at 9:50am (local time).
The KNU vice chancellor will deliver the welcome address before conferring of the Honorary Doctor of Literature degree on Sheikh Hasina.
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will then deliver a speech.
Chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee will deliver her speech as the Guest-in-Chief at the convocation.
After the programme, the prime minister will return to Kolkata. She will visit Netaji Museum (Netaji Bhawan) and place wreaths on the bed of Netaji and sign the visitor’s book on Saturday afternoon.
Hasina is expected to return home at 10:30pm on Saturday by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.