PM returns home from Italy

BSS, DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home this morning from Milan concluding her four-day official visit to Italy at the invitation of her Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte.

An Emirates Airlines flight carrying the prime minister and her entourage members landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) here around 8 am.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Housing and Public Works Minister SM Rezaul Karim, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali, PM’s Principal Secretary Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, PMO Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Mia and Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim were present at the airport, among others, to receive the premier.

On Friday, Sheikh Hasina departed from Milan Malpensa International Airport for Dhaka at 1.45pm (local time).

Bangladesh Ambassador to Italy Abdus Sobhan Sikdar saw the premier off at the airport.

On her way back home, the prime minister made over two-hour stopover in Dubai.

Sheikh Hasina went to Milan from Italian capital of Rome on Thursday afternoon. She reached Rome on February 4 from Dhaka.

During the visit, the prime minister held a bilateral meeting with Giuseppe Conte at Palazzo Chigi, the official residence of the Italian prime minister, in the Italian capital on February 5 and also joined an official lunch there.

The two leaders, at the nearly one-hour meeting, discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations and expressed satisfaction over the present state of economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Italy.

The two prime ministers stressed the need for bolstering cooperation in different fields for mutual benefits of the two countries.

At the talks, the Italian premier pledged to provide one million Euros for the help of the Rohingyas in addition to existing assistance through the UNHCR.

Earlier in the morning, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Chancery Building of Bangladesh Embassy in Rome in Via Dell’Antartide area.

In the afternoon, representatives of the Italian business companies paid a call on the Bangladesh prime minister at the meeting room of her place of residence.

The prime minister then attended a dinner hosted by the Bangladesh ambassador to Italy at Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel and Spa.

On February 6, Sheikh Hasina had an audience with Pope Francis, the spiritual leader of the Catholics of the world, at the Holy See (Vatican City) near the Italian capital.

The premier attended a reception accorded in her honour by Italy chapter of Awami League at Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel and Spa in the evening of February 4.