Sheikh Hasina is first 'elected' PM to represent Bangladesh at World Economic Forum

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be the first “elected” Bangladesh leader to attend the prestigious World Economic Forum in Davos-Klosters, the foreign minister has said.

“This reflects Bangladesh’s strong position in the world and indicates how the prime minister’s able and farsighted leadership has raised her to a different level on the world stage,” Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali told the media on Saturday.

He said the prime minister would leave on Jan 15 and return on Jan 21 to attend the World Economic Forum, where she will speak at different sessions on water economy, sustainable development, regional cooperation, climate change, ICT and women's leadership and empowerment .

The World Economic Forum annual meeting in Switzerland remains the foremost platform for engaging the world’s top leaders in collaborative activities to shape the global, regional and industrial agenda at the beginning of each year.

Leaders share their insights and innovations on how to best navigate the future in this Forum. Newly elected UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres will also attend the meeting.

Executive Chairman Prof Klaus Schwab invited the prime minister. Foreign ministry officials said chief adviser of the last military-backed caretaker government, Fakhruddin Ahmed, had earlier attended the Forum from Bangladesh.

The foreign minister and state minister for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palok would be , among  others, in the PM’s entourage.

Replying to a question, Ali said they were still working on arranging bilateral meetings on the sidelines.

“Time is very limited. Meetings may be finalised at the last moment. We are prepared for meetings on the sidelines .”

He said the Prime Minister would highlight Bangladesh’s achievements and woo investors.

The Prime Minister would once again present Bangladesh as a “modern, open, democratic and responsible state” in the world, he said.