Tshering and his aides landed in Shahjalal International Airport at 8.08 am.
The Bhutanese premier was given a guard of honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of the armed forces after being received by Sheikh Hasina at the airport’s VVIP lounge.
Lotay Tshering, a Mymensingh Medical College alumnus, is visiting Bangladesh for the first time since taking office as prime minister. He will also be joining the Bangla New Year celebrations.
The government hopes to bolster trade relations between the two countries by providing Bhutan the opportunity to use Bangladesh’s inland waterways as well as signing a few treaties and memoranda of understanding in the health and agriculture sectors.
There has been no significant increase in the trade between Bangladesh and Bhutan - the first country to formally acknowledge Bangladesh as a sovereign country - despite having a friendly relationship. Bangladesh’s imports from Bhutan are worth $33 million but its exports are worth around $3 million.
The Bhutanese government sought assistance from Bangladesh to develop its health sector when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Bhutan in 2017. Also, there were discussions on Bhutan having physicians from Bangladesh and helping medical students in Bhutan.
Lotay Tshering will pay tribute to the mural of Bangabandhu at Dhanmondi 32 on Friday followed by a visit to the National Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the martyrs in the Liberation War.
Tshering will visit his alma mater Mymensingh Medical College and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University on Sunday.