The red carpet was rolled out as Brunei Darussalam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah arrived on a two-day state visit to Bangladesh.
A special VVIP flight V8-QAS of Royal Brunei Airlines landed at Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport (HSIA) carrying the Brunei Sultan and his some 42 entourage members at 2.24pm to his maiden Bangladesh visit.
President M Abdul Hamid along with senior ministers and high civil and military officials received the Brunei Sultan, accompanied by his royal family members, ministers of various ministries of Brunei and high-level government officials.
A 21-gun salute heralded his arrival as he disembarked from the aircraft when Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid welcomed him with a bouquet.
A combined contingent of Bangladesh army, navy and air force presented him an honour guard while Sultan Waddaulah along with Bangladesh President stood on a makeshift dais when military band played national anthems of both the countries as well.
The Brunei Sultan also inspected the guard and then Bangladesh President introduced him to Bangladeshi dignitaries who were present at the reception line.
Sultan Waddaulah also introduced President Hamid with the delegation accompanying him.
The Brunei Sultan is making his maiden tour to Dhaka at the invitation of Bangladesh President Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Brunei is an independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of the Borneo Island in Southeast Asia and entirely surrounded by Malaysia.
Brunei gained its independence as a British protectorate on January 1, 1984 but is being led by Hassanal Bolkiah since 1967.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, all people including the Brunei Sultan and the Bangladesh President were seen to follow health guidelines, including wearing masks and maintaining social distance during the reception.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, MP, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, MP, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, MP, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, MP and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, MP, were standing in the presentation line.
Besides, chiefs of the three services, principal secretary to the Prime Minister, foreign secretary, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Secretaries concerned to the Bangabhaban, and senior civil and military officers were present there.
Later, the Brunei Sultan was escorted to the National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar on the outskirts of the capital in a motorcade from the airport.
He placed wreath at the Memorial in the memory of Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War martyrs, planted a sapling and signed the "Visitors' Book" there.
The Sultan is scheduled to stay at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka, according to programme schedule.
