PM leaves for Germany in maiden overseas tour
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Germany on Thursday morning in her maiden overseas tour in the third consecutive term in office which would take her to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well during the return journey.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the premier and her entourage members left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital at 8:10 am.
A premier’s office spokesman said Sheikh Hasina would join a two-day international security conference to be begun from today in Germany’s Munich.
The premier will visit Abu Dhabi form February 17 to 19 to attend the 14th International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2019) and hold bilateral talks with the UAE leaders.
Hours after reaching Munich, Sheikh Hasina will attend a community reception to be organized by Bangladesh Mission in Germany at Hotel Sheraton where she would stay during the visit.
The premier would attend the opening ceremony of the Security Conference on the next day and deliver a statement, and take part in a discussion on defense cooperation.
Sheikh Hasina is also scheduled to join a roundtable titled “Health in Crisis-WHO cares” to be hosted by Center for Strategies and International Studies and World Health Organisation (WHO).
She will also hold a meeting with Noble laureate 2017 Beatrice Fihn, who is the executive director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons and with Dr Fatou Bensouda, a top Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
In the afternoon the prime minister will hold meetings with Joe Kaeser, President and CEO of Siemens AG and Hans Wolfgang Kunz, CEO of Veridos.
She will join a dinner to be hosted jointly by Borge Brende, President of the World Economic Forum, and Jared Cohen, CEO of Jigsaw.
On February 16 the prime minister will join a panel discussion on “Climate Change as a Security Threat”.
From Munich Sheikh Hasina will arrive Abu Dhabi in the morning on February 17 and attend the opening session of the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2019) at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC).
During the visit the premier is likely to hold meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and bilateral talks with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai and other leaders.
Sheikh Hasina will have an audience with Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, Wife of Late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founder and the Inaugural President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi at Al Bahar Palace.
The prime minister will join a community event to be held at St Regis Abu Dhabi Hotel where she will stay during the visit.
Sheikh Hasina will return home in the morning on February 20.
