Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached Abu Dhabi on Sunday (Jan 12) on a three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend “Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week”, “Zayed Sustainable Awards Ceremony” and other programmes.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the premier and her entourage members landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport at 8.30 p.m. (local time).
Bangladesh Ambassador to the UAE Muhammad Imran received the PM at the airport.
After the reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade escorted her to Shangri-La Hotel in Abu Dhabi, where she will be staying during the visit.
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka for Abu Dhabi at 5.10 p.m. (BD time).
Liberation War Affairs Minister A K M Mozammel Haque, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque, Chief Whip Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury Liton, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md. Mahbub Ali were present at the airport to see the premier off.
Besides, the cabinet secretary, the chiefs of the three services, the PM’s principal secretary, the dean of the diplomatic corps and high civil and military officials were present, local media reported.
On Monday, the PM is expected to attend the “Abu Dhabi Sustainable Week” and “Zayed Sustainable Awards Ceremony” at the ICC Hall of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in the morning.
In the evening, she will join the envoys’ conference at her place of residence.
On Tuesday, Sheikh Hasina is expected to meet UAE Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan and wife of UAE Founder and Founding President Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi. In the afternoon, she will attend an interview session on “The Critical Role of Women in Delivering Climate Action” at Hall-11, the ADNEC.
The premier will return home on Tuesday night (BD time).
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Dr A K Abdul Momen has said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will highlight Dhaka’s position in implementing SDGs during her visit to the UAE where she is also set to give directives to Bangladesh envoys in West Asia regarding current Middle East situation.
“During the visit, the PM will get opportunities to apprise the world leaders of the initiatives taken by Bangladesh in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he told a press briefing at the Foreign Ministry in Dhaka.
Momen said the PM will give an overview to the participating world leaders of Bangladesh government’s initiatives in the field of energy, health care, climate change, water and biotechnology to achieve “Vision 2041” to turn Bangladesh into a developed country.
During the visit, he said, two instruments are likely to be signed between Bangladesh and the UAE.
The instruments are “The Addendum to the MoU signed between Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) and Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Bangladesh” and “The Protocol of Amendment to the Agreement on Allotment of Land Plot in Baridhara Diplomatic Enclave in Dhaka for Construction of Embassy Premises”.
The foreign minister said the premier is scheduled to join an envoys’ conference to be attended by Bangladesh Ambassadors to Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arab and the UAE.
At the conference, Momen said, the PM will give directives to the Bangladesh envoys about Dhaka’s role amid the current tensed situation in the Middle East.
The premier is also likely to give directives to the Bangladeshi envoys on how they can attract more investment in Bangladesh from the Middle Eastern nations, he said.
