Lavrov pays a courtesy call on PM Sheikh Hasina

Visiting Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Friday morning. The Russian foreign ministry has published a post regarding the visit on their Twitter handle.

Lavrov landed in Dhaka from the Indonesian capital Jakarta on a special flight Thursday evening.

Lavrov has come to Dhaka before going on to attend the G20 summit opening tomorrow, Saturday in the capital of India, New Delhi. Since Bangladesh’s independence, this is the first time any Russian foreign minister has come to visit Dhaka.

Lavrov was welcomed by his Bangladeshi counterpart AK Abdul Momen at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Thursday evening.

Lavrov came straight to the InterContinental Hotel from the Shahjalal International Airport and held an exclusive meeting with foreign minister AK Abdul Momen there.

After that, the two foreign ministers sat in a bilateral meeting for nearly an hour with their delegates. They took part in a joint press conference following the bilateral meeting.

Sergey Lavrov reiterated his country’s support for Bangladesh in th press conference held in the presence of AK Abdul Momen. He praised Bangladesh for following an independent foreign policy prioritising the national interest despite pressure from the US and its allies.

He said that Russia is keen to strengthen its relationship with Bangladesh, their second largest partner in South Asia after India, at all levels, including political.

Concluding his visit to Bangladesh, the Russian foreign minister today will join the G20 summit, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from 9 to 10 September. Before leaving Dhaka for New Delhi, he visited Bangabandhu memorial museum in Dhanmondi.