Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has cancelled her official visit to France after a series of terrorist attacks in Paris killed 129 people.
Published : 15 Nov 2015, 02:57 PM
Her Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told reporters of the change of plan on Sunday after French Ambassador in Dhaka Sophie Aubert called on Hasina.
He said the prime minister's visit would be rescheduled in consultation with the French government.
Hasina was scheduled to leave Dhaka on Monday for the three-day visit.
She was expected to speak at the UNESCO’s high-level ‘Leader’s Forum’, among other engagements.
The Forum intends to address issues of “strategic, global and interdisciplinary interest” for the work of the UN agency.
Karim said Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid would represent Bangladesh now at the UNESCO event.
The wave of attacks across Paris by gunmen and bombers on Friday night killed at least 129 people and injured 352, including 99 who were in a critical condition.
The French government declared a state of the emergency across the country on Saturday, the first time after the World War II.
French President Francois Hollande had announced three days of national mourning.
In the backdrop of the attacks, the news of Hasina cancelling her visit came on Sunday noon.
Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali was scheduled to brief the media at 3pm over the visit.
At around 1:30pm, the ministry postponed the media call citing 'unavoidable circumstances'.
Officials at the Prime Minister’s Office and the foreign ministry later confirmed bdnews24.com that the visit had been put off.
The French envoy then met with Hasina later in the afternoon.
The prime minister earlier had condemned the attacks and pledged her solidarity with France in the fight against terrorism in a message to Hollande.