PM accorded warm reception in Singapore

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded a warm reception as she arrived here this afternoon on a four-day official visit to Singapore at the invitation of her Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong, reports BSS.

A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and members of her entourage landed at Changi Airport in Singapore at 2:30 pm local time.

Singapore Senior Minister of State of the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and the Ministry of Health Dr Amy Khor and Bangladesh High Commissioner to Singapore Md Mostafizur Rahman received the premier at the airport.

From the airport the prime minister in a ceremonial motorcade was taken to Shangri-La Hotel where she will be staying during the visit.

On Monday, Sheikh Hasina will be given a welcome reception by the Singapore government. After the welcome reception, the premier will pay a courtesy call on Singapore President Halimah Yacob at Istana.

Official talks between Sheikh Hasina and Lee Hsien Loong will take place on Monday morning.

Following the talks, Bangladesh and Singapore are set to sign six memorandums of understanding (MoUs) for further enhancing cooperation in different sectors.

A MoU will be signed between the International Enterprise Singapore and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) on investment collaboration.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Singapore Manufacturing Federation will sign a MoU while Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and Singapore Manufacturing Federation will sign another MoU to strengthen business relations.

Other MoUs will be signed on public private partnership, expansion of air service agreement, digital leadership, innovation and digital government transformation.

On Tuesday morning, Sheikh Hasina will attend a ceremony where an orchid in Singapore Botanical Garden, also world heritage site, will be named after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Later, she will join Singapore-Bangladesh Business Forum and Business Roundtable at Shangri-La Hotel as the chief guest.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Power and Energy Nasrul Hamid and senior government officials are accompanying her during the tour.

A high-level business delegation is also accompanying the PM.

During the visit, Sheikh Hasina will attend a lunch to be hosted by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in her honour on Monday.

The prime minister will return home on March 14.