PM off to Vienna to join IAEA conference

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Vienna this morning on a two-day official visit to Austria to attend a conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reports BSS.

A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the premier and her members of the entourage took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here for Vienna at 9:10 am.

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, PM`s Advisers HT Imam and Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam and the chiefs of three services were present at the airport, among others, to see the premier off.

The flight is scheduled to reach Vienna International Airport at 2:30pm (local time) today.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Austria and Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN Offices in Vienna Md Abu Zafar will receive the prime minister.

Later, Sheikh Hasina will be taken to Hotel Imperial where she will be staying during her two-day visit.

In the evening, the prime minister will attend a community event followed by an iftar party at Grand Hotel.

On Tuesday, the prime minister will attend the opening session of the conference titled "Conference on the IAEA Technical Cooperation Programme: 60 years and Beyond-Contributing to Development". During the visit, Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to hold official talks with Austrian Federal Chancellor Christian Kern and meet Austrian Federal President Alexander Van Der Bellen.

The prime minister is also set to hold a meeting with IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano.

Concluding her two-day visit to Austria, Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to return home in the morning on May 31.