Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reaches Munich to attend security conference

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has arrived in Munich in the German State of Bavaria to take part in the Munich Security Conference.

An Etihad Airways flight carrying the premier and her entourage took off from Dhaka at 10:05pm on Thursday and landed at Munich International Airport at 6am (local time) Friday.

Earlier, the prime ministerial team had a one hour stopover at Abu Dhabi International Airport, where Bangladesh envoy Muhammad Imran greeted the Awami League Chairperson.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Imtiaz Ahmed welcomed the prime minister upon her arrival at Munich airport.

Leaders of the German Awami League and other European countries welcomed Sheikh Hasina when she reached the Munich Marriott Hotel in a motorcade.

They carried flowers, banners and placards with portraits of Sheikh Hasina and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

During her two-day visit, the prime minister is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Foreign Affairs Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali said the two leaders would discuss such issues as improving trade and investment between their two countries, mitigating risks of climate change, refugee and migration crisis in Europe, global conditions of terrorism and violence.

The Munich Security Conference will be inaugurated at the Bayerischer Hof Conference Hall on Friday.

Hasina will attend the inaugural ceremony and later take part at a dinner with the heads of other participating countries and the mayor of Munich.

The Munich Security Conference was first held in 1963 amidst an atmosphere of the Cold War.

Ever since, the conference has been focusing on world security and related issues, thus earning a reputation as 'the world's best thing tank conference.'

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is the first Bangladesh leader to attend the conference and represent her country.

On the second day of her visit, Sheikh Hasina will meet Chancellor Angela Merkel and attend  a lunchhosted by the German defence ministry.

She may also take part in a panel discussion the same day.

Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury, Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque, Home Secretary Kamal Uddin Ahmed and Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim are accompanying the prime minister.   

The prime minister will leave Munich on Saturday night and is scheduled to reach Dhaka the following night.