Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will arrive today (Friday) on a two-day visit to join the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and golden jubilee celebration of Bangladesh’s independence.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will receive him at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HISA) at 10am upon his arrival. A guard of honor will also be given to the Sri Lankan premier on the occasion.
Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen believes that the visit would give Bangladesh, Sri Lanka relations a boost by opening up new avenues of cooperation.
A 10-day special programme began at the National Parade Ground on Wednesday, marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and golden jubilee of the independence with theme of ‘Mujib Chirantan’ or the ‘eternal Mujib’.
A separate theme has been taken for each day.
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister will place wreath at the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar at 11am Thursday and will sign the visitor’s book and plant a sapling there.
Foreign Minister Dr Momen will pay a courtesy call on him at 3pm at the Presidential Suite at the Hotel Sonargaon.
He will join the function at the National Parade Ground at 4.30pm.
He will attend a cultural programme and banquet hosted by the Bangladesh Prime Minister at Grand Ball Room at Hotel Intercontinental at 7.30pm.
On Saturday, Rajapaksa will pay homage to Bangabandhu by placing a wreath at his portrait on the premises of Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi road number 32 at 10am.
He will visit the museum and sign the visitor’s book there. He will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) at 10.20 am.
Several Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) will be signed between the two countries in presence of the two heads of the government at 11.40am.
The Sri Lankan prime minister will pay a courtesy call on Bangladesh President M Abdul Hamid at Credential Hall of the Bangabhaban at 5pm. He will sign the visitor’s book there.
To join the 10-day celebration, Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari will arrive in Dhaka on a two-day tour on March 22 and Bhutanese premier Lotay Tshering is scheduled to be here on March 24 and 25.
Besides, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive here on March 26 and depart Dhaka on March 27.
