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The visit was the first of its kind for a head of the government in Bangladesh in 52 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries
Published : 29 Apr 2024, 11:39 AM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has landed in Dhaka after her six-day state visit to Thailand.
Hasina and her entourage departed from the Don Mueang International Airport at 10:10am local time on a special flight of the national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines, reports Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.
She landed in Dhaka around 11:30am, according to KM Shakhawat Moon, the deputy press secretary to the prime minister.
The premier reached Bangkok on Apr 24 at the invitation of her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin. She was given a red carpet welcome at the airport.
The visit was the first of its kind for a head of the government in Bangladesh in 52 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The visit was part of Bangladesh’s strengthened focus on its ‘neighbour’ policy, Hasina said. She believed her visit provided a great opportunity to renew the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Thailand.
On Apr 25, the prime minister addressed the 80th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) as part of her multilateral engagement.
In her speech, she urged international leaders to stand against all forms of aggression and atrocities and say "no" to wars, adding peace and security were preconditions for sustainable development.
On the same day, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjabana called on the prime minister.
She also paid a courtesy visit to King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshan of the Kingdom of Thailand.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin formally welcomed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, giving her a guard of honour on Apr 26.
The two leaders then held a bilateral meeting and five documents were signed in their presence to strengthen the bilateral ties.
The documents signed included an agreement, three memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and a Letter of Intent (LOI). They were an Agreement on Visa Exemption for holders of official passports; an MoU on Energy Cooperation; an MoU on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters; an MoU on Cooperation in the field of tourism; and an LOI to commence negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the year 2024.
Hasina joined the lunch hosted by the Thai prime minister. During the lunch event, she said that she strongly believed her visit would propel the growth of the bilateral ties between the two countries.
