PM Hasina returns home after atomic energy conference in Vienna

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived back in Dhaka after taking part in an atomic energy conference in Austria as part of her 29-hour visit.

Hasina and her entourage flew in at 7.20am on Wednesday on a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Md Abu Zafar, Dhaka's envoy to the Austrian capital, was among others who saw her off at Vienna International Airport.

She reached Vienna on Monday and took part in the launching ceremony of the meeting to mark 60 years of the International Atomic Energy Agency or IAEA.

On Tuesday, leaders from Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and the Caribbean joined the summit, 'International Conference on the Technical Cooperation Programme: Sixty Years and Beyond -- Contributing to Development'.

Bangladesh became a member of the IAEA in 1972. The prime minister’s late husband Dr MA Wazed Miah, a nuclear scientist, played a key role in getting the membership.

In her conference speech, Hasina stressed 'science diplomacy', which she said would ensure economic growth through innovations and knowledge sharing.

She thanked IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano for his efforts to promote a peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Touching on the Russia-supported Rooppur nuclear plant, Hasina said Bangladesh considers nuclear energy as safe, environment-friendly and an economically viable source of power.