Warm welcome for Hasina in New Delhi on first state visit after election

The visit marks her first bilateral state tour after both she and Modi were re-elected in recent elections

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reached New Delhi on a two-day state visit to freshen up efforts to deepen ties with its closest neighbour India.

A special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying Hasina and her entourage landed at Palam Airport in the Indian capital at 3:29pm on Friday.

Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Kirtivardhan Singh and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Md Mustafizur Rahman received her at the airport.

Hasina was given a red carpet reception at the airport where artistes performed folk dance.

She then travelled to hotel Taj Palace where she will stay during the visit.

The visit at the invitation of her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi marks her first bilateral state tour after both leaders were re-elected in recent elections.

The prime ministers of Bangladesh and India could discuss some of the longstanding disputes, a spokesman for Hasina said.

“We are prepared to discuss the unresolved issues,” Press Secretary Nayeemul Islam Khan told http://bdnews24.com. He did not give details.

“The two sides will likely have discussions on the issues,” he said.

Hasina will receive a formal welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Indian presidential palace, in New Delhi on the morning of Saturday, Jun 22, where she will be given an armed salute and inspect the guard of honour, her press wing said in the statement.

Later, she will lay a wreath and sign the visitor's book at Mahatma Gandhi's mausoleum at Raj Ghat.

Later in the day, she is scheduled to meet with her Indian counterpart Modi at Hyderabad House. Discussions will also take place at the representative level.

There will be a state lunch held in her honour during the visit.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will pay a courtesy call on Hasina at her hotel on Friday.

The following afternoon, Hasina will visit the secretariat office of Indian Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

She will return to Rashtrapati Bhavan to meet Indian President Droupadi Murmu.

Wrapping up her two-day state visit, the prime minister will depart for Dhaka aboard a special Biman flight at 6pm local time on Saturday.