Vietnamese President arrives tomorrow

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DHAKA, March 3, 2018 (BSS) – Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang arrives here tomorrow on a three-day state visit to bolster relations with Bangladesh.

President M Abdul Hamid will welcome his Vietnamese counterpart at Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport at about 4 pm tomorrow where he will be given a red carpet reception, President’s Press Secretary M Joynal Abedin told BSS.

At the invitation of President Hamid, the Vietnamese President is coming here with an aim to promote bilateral ties in different areas including economy, trade, investment, agriculture, defence and security between the two countries.

This is a high level visit of any Vietnam leader in 14 years as former President Tran Duc Luong toured Bangladesh in 2004. Vietnam was among the first countries of the world to recognize the Independent Bangladesh in 1971.

President Hamid visited Vietnam in August 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in November 2015 and Speaker of the Jatiya Sangsad Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in July 2017.

After the reception ceremony, the Vietnam President will leave the airport for the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel where he will be staying during his visit, officials said.

Quang’s official engagement will begin with the meeting of Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali at the place of residence at about 5:30 pm on the day.

On Monday, he will lay a wreath at the National Memorial in Savar at about 8:00 am to pay homage to the 1971 Liberation War martyrs. The Vietnam President will plant a sapling there and also sign a visitor’s book.

He will visit the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi at 9:35 am and lay a wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to pay respect to the memory of the greatest Bengali of all times.

The Vietnamese President is due to hold talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on different bilateral issues at the Prime Minister’s Office at about 10 am on the day. Some memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or agreements are expected to be signed there.

The outcome of the talks is likely to be disclosed through a joint press statement.

As part of the programme schedule, Quang will visit the Jatiya Sangsad complex where Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury will meet him at about 3:40 pm.

Earlier, Social Welfare Minister Rashed Khan Menon will pay a courtesy call on the Vietnam President at the Sonargaon Hotel at about 2:30 pm.

President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) Md. Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin will make a courtesy call on the Vietnamese President at the place of residence at 3 pm.

President Quang will hold a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid at Credentials Hall of Bangabhaban at about 7:30 pm. A cultural porgramme will be held in honour of him.

On March 6, the Vietnam President will hold a meeting with the head of Bangladesh-Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry at about 9:30 am.

He will attend another meeting of Vietnam-Bangladesh Business Forum and later join the opening ceremony of “Vietnam Cultural Days in Bangladesh”.

The Vietnamese President will leave Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon. Foreign Minister will see him off at the airport.