PM off to Hungary

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Budapest on Sunday morning on a four-day bilateral visit in conjunction with Budapest Water Summit 2016 at the invitation of Hungarian President Dr Janos Ader.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the premier and her entourage members took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here for Budapest at 9am.

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Railways Minister Mazibul Haque, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, PM`s Adviser HT Imam, Chief Whip of Parliament ASM Feroze, among others, were present at the airport to see the prime minister off.

Besides, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, the dean of the diplomatic corps and high civil and military officials were present.

The flight is scheduled to reach Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest at 1.45pm local time (6.45 pm Bangladesh time).

Hungarian Minister of State for Security Policy and International Cooperation Istv n Mikola, Bangladesh Ambassador to Hungary Abu Zafar and Hungarian Ambassador in Dhaka Gyula Petho will receive the premier at the airport.

From the airport, a ceremonial motorcade will escort the prime minister to Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace where she will be staying during the visit.

During the visit, Sheikh Hasina will take part in different sessions of the two-day Budapest Water Summit (BWS-2916) and hold a bilateral meeting with her Hungarian counterpart Victor Orban.

She is also expected to inaugurate Bangladesh-Hungarian Business and Economic Forum and make a call on President Janos Ader.

Sheikh Hasina, a member of High Level Panel on Water (HLPW) of the UN and the World Bank, would attend the inaugural session of the Water Summit on Monday.

Along with the Hungarian President and other dignitaries, she will visit a Sustainable Water Solution Expo.

On the next day, she will attend high-level meeting of the summit and a working lunch to be hosted by President Janos Ader.

She will hold bilateral talks with her Hungarian counterpart on Tuesday morning at Kossuth Square and the meeting is expected to be followed by the signing ceremony of a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs).

The two prime ministers will address a joint press conference after the bilateral talks.

The MoUs will be on consultation between the foreign ministries of the two countries, cooperation on water management and agriculture. A MoU will be signed between FBCCI and Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Sheikh Hasina will meet with Hungarian President Janos Ader at Sandor Presidential Palace Monday afternoon.

She will visit Heroes` Square at Budapest Tuesday to pay tributes to the Hungarian national heroes and soldiers who embraced martyrdom for establishment of the country.

She will leave Budapest for home on Wednesday morning and is expected to reach Dhaka at 11.30pm (BST).

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, Water Resources Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud and a business delegation will accompany the prime minister during her visit to Hungary.

Source: BSS