PM Sheikh Hasina returns home after three-day Netherlands visit

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has returned to Bangladesh concluding her three-day official visit to the Netherlands.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying Hasina and her entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 5:40pm on Friday.

The prime minister had left for the Netherlands at the invitation of her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte on Tuesday.

After her meeting with Rutte on Wednesday, the two countries signed four agreements aimed at further strengthening bilateral cooperation in education and diplomacy.

A joint statement later said Bangladesh and the Netherlands had agreed to work together to ensure national security and implement the Delta Plan 2100 to boost investment and bilateral trade.

During her visit, Hasina also met Queen Maxima of the Netherlands. The Queen praised Bangladesh for its economic progress.

The prime minister later attended a banquet hosted by the Dutch premier.

She visited the delta region and the Future Land harbour during the visit.

Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen and Minister of Infrastructure and Environment Melanie Schultz van Haegen, among others, also called on Hasina during her stay in the Netherlands.

In a meeting with Dutch business leaders on Thursday, Hasina urged them to become Bangladesh’s partner in boosting investment and trade.

She then visited Koornstra & Co and Tomatoworld, which deal in fruits and vegetables.

The prime minster also attended a reception given by Bangladeshi expatriates in the Netherlands.

Hasina left Dhaka on Thursday night local time and arrived home via Abu Dhabi on Friday evening.