BSS-44 PM leaves for Saudi Arabia tomorrow

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ZCZC

BSS-44

PM-VISIT-SAUDI LEAD

PM leaves for Saudi Arabia tomorrow

DHAKA, Oct 15, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves here tomorrow for

Riyadh on a four-day bilateral visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi King

and Custodian of Two Holy Mosques Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

“A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her

entourage members will depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here for the

Saudi capital tomorrow afternoon,” said a source at the Prime Minister’s Office

today.

The flight is scheduled to reach King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh at 7

pm local time.

On Wednesday, the prime minister will hold a meeting with the leaders of Council

of Saudi Chamber (CSC) and Riyadh Chamber of Commerce at her place of residence in

the morning.

In the afternoon, she will have an audience with the Saudi King at Royal Palace

and the meeting will be followed by a lunch.

The prime minister will then hold a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy

Premier and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz.

She will later inaugurate Bangladesh Chancery Building in the Diplomatic Quarters,

Riyadh.

The prime minister will depart Riyadh for Madinah by air at 7:30 pm and reach

Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Airport, Madinah at 9 pm.

She will offer ziarat at Rowza of Holy Prophet (PBUH) at Masjid Al-Nabawi the same

night.

On Thursday, the prime minister will leave Madinah for Jeddah at 10:30 am and

reach King Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah at 11:15 am.

The prime minister will lay the foundation stone of the Chancery Building of

Bangladesh Consulate General, Jeddah at noon.

She will perform Umrah in Makkah after Esha prayers.

On Friday, the prime minister will depart King Abdulaziz International Airport,

Jeddah for home in the early hours and reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport

in Dhaka at 11:45 am (BST).

During the visit, two instruments — a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on

defence cooperation and an MoU on ICT cooperation — would be signed between

Bangladesh and KSA, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali told a press conference at the

Foreign Ministry here this afternoon.

Ali said the issue of safe repatriation of Rohingyas will also be discussed during

the meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Saudi king.

Apart from the defence cooperation and Rohingya matters, issues related to labour

welfare, promotion of bilateral trade and investment, development cooperation and

greater unity and prosperity of Muslim Ummah are expected to be discussed during the

meeting of the two leaders, he said.

The foreign minister hoped that the visit will further strengthen the relations

between Bangladesh and KSA in the days to come.

BSS/SH/BR/2000 HRS