Bangladesh to roll out red carpet to welcome Brunei Sultan tomorrow

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Bangladesh will roll out the red carpet to welcome Brunei Darussalam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, who is arriving here tomorrow on a 3-day state visit.

President M Abdul Hamid along with some senior ministers and high civil and military officials will receive the Sultan, who is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport (HSIA) here at 12 noon (BST) by a special VVIP flight.

Brunei Sultan will be accompanied by the royal family members, ministers of various ministries of Bruei and high-level government officials, according to the schedule and officials concerned.

Sultan Waddaulah is making his maiden tour to Dhaka at the invitation of the Bangladesh President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Personnel drawn from Bangladesh army, navy and air force will offer him a guard of honour as part of the welcome ceremony at the airport, from where; he would be escorted to the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar on the outskirts of the capital in a motorcade.

Later, the Brunei Sultan will place wreaths in memory of Bangladesh’s nine-month-long 1971 Liberation War martyrs at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar, plant a sapling and sign the “Visitors’ Book” there.

From there, the Sultan is scheduled to stay at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka, President’s Press Secretary Md Joynal Abedin told BSS.

In the afternoon, Foreign Minister Dr Abul Kalam Abdul Momen will also meet him at the Meeting Room, Place of Residence, at 6 pm (local time).

The Sultan will hold a meeting with President Abdul Hamid at the Credential Hall of Bangabhaban at 7.00 pm on the day.

Later, he will sign a “Visitors’ Book” at Gallery Hall of the Presidential palace.

The Head of the State will host a state banquet and cultural function in honour of the Sultan at Banquet Hall (Durbar Hall) at 7.35 pm.

On October 16, Sultan Waddaulah will visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi here to pay homage to Bangladesh’s founding Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and will also sign a “Visitors’ Book” there at about 10.15 am.

Family members of the Father of the Nation will receive the Sultan on the museum premises.

Brunei Sultan will hold restricted-level talks (Tete-e-tete) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Shimul of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) at 11.05 am.

A delegation-level talk with the Premier will be held at Chameli at the PMO.

Apart from the Sultan’s other engagements during the visit, the Bangabhaban spokesman said, the three-day visit have special significance as some Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or agreements will be signed at Korobi Hall there.

The MoUs and agreements include on bilateral aviation agreement, Bangladeshi manpower recruitment cooperation and the recognition of Mariners’ certificates by the two countries. The Sultan will also sign a “Visitors’ Book” there.

Brunei Sultan will leave Dhaka on October 17.

The foreign minister will see the Brunei Sultan and his entourage members off after a state guard of honor on the day. (BSS)