PM returns home after 15-day overseas visit

ZOOMBANGLA DESK: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today returned home from London after wrapping up her 15-day tri-nation visit to Japan, the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK).

A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the premier and her entourage members, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here at 10:05 am.

Earlier, the flight departed from Heathrow International Airport, London at 6:25pm on Monday (London time).

On April 25, the prime minister on the first leg of her three-nation visit reached Japan as a special VVIP flight (BG1403) of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying her and entourage members landed at the Haneda International Airport, Tokyo at 4:45pm (local time).

Japan had rolled out a red carpet to welcome the Bangladesh prime minister and gave her the state guard of honour at the airport.

During her stay at Tokyo, Sheikh Hasina and her Japanese counterpart witnessed the exchange of eight instruments, mostly memorandums of understanding, signed between Dhaka and Tokyo to boost cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, metro-rail, industrial up-gradation, ship-recycling, customs matters, intellectual property, defense, ICT and cyber security.

On April 26, the premier had a courtesy call on the Emperor of Japan Naruhito. Then on the same day, she held a bilateral meeting with her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

The premier also attended an investment summit and a community reception alongside handing over the “Friends of Liberation War Honour” to four Japanese nationals on April 27 for their contribution to Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971.

The prime minister, as well, attended several additional bilateral meetings with Japanese foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi as well as leaders of JAICA, JETRO, JEBIC, JBPFL and JBCCEC.

She also had meetings with the former late Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s wife Akie Abe and Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

On the second leg of her visit, on April 29, the premier arrived in Washington DC wrapping up her four-day official tour to Tokyo in Japan at the invitation of her Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

During her visit to the United States, the prime minister attended a programme marking 50 years of Bangladesh-World Bank partnership and some side events that include a roundtable with US business leaders and several meetings with WB’s incoming President Ajay Banga and Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva alongside a civic reception.

On May 4, on the third leg of her visit, the prime minister arrived in London to attend the coronation of Charles III and his wife Camilla as the King and the Queen of the United Kingdom (UK) and the other Commonwealth realms from Washington DC.

During her stay in the UK, Sheikh Hasina attended the coronation of King Charles III and the Queen at Westminster Abbey on May 6.

In London, Sheikh Hasina had interaction with King Charles III, and a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

British Foreign Minister James Cleverly along with his wife Susannah Sparks also called on her at her place of residence, the Claridge Hotel in London.

The premier attended a dinner in honour of her hosted by Bangladesh high commissioner to the UK at the Foyer Private Dining Room of Claridge Hotel on the same day.

She had a meeting with Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema there.

Besides, Sheikh Hasina had interactions with Presidents of Egypt and Rwanda, Prime Ministers of Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Gambia, Namibia and Uganda in the coronation programme of King Charles III.

Former Prime Minister of UK Tony Blair and Commonwealth Secretary General Baroness Patricia Scotland also met the Bangladesh prime minister at her place of residence on May 7.

The prime minister was accorded a civic reception by expatriate Bangladeshis in the UK at London Marriott Hotel on the same day and she also gave an interview to BBC. (BSS)