PM reaches Japan
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived here this afternoon on a 12-day tri-nation tour that will also take her to Saudi Arabia and Finland.
In the first leg of her tour in Japan, the premier will address the 25th International Conference on Future Asia, hold bilateral talks with her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe and attend a signing ceremony.
A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the premier and her entourage members landed at Haneda International Airport, Tokyo at 6:30 pm (Japan time)
Japanese state minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiko Abe and Bangladesh Ambassador in Tokyo Rabab Fatima welcomed the prime minister at the airport.
Earlier, she departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka for Japanese capital of Tokyo at 9:10 am (BST).
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Jatiya Sangsad Chief Whip Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury Liton, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, the dean of the diplomatic corps and high civil and military officials were present at the airport to see the premier off.
In Japan, Sheikh Hasina will also join a Bangladeshi community reception to be hosted in her honour, meet with family members of the Japanese victims of the Holey Artisan attack and Japanese business leaders.
She will leave Tokyo for Jeddah on May 31 and stay in Saudi Arabia till June 3.
The premier will attend the opening ceremony of the 14th session of the OIC’s (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) Islamic Summit titled “Makkah Summit: Together for the Future” in Makkah on May 31. The premier will perform Umrah.
Sheikh Hasina will depart Jeddah for Helsinki, Finland on June 3 where she will pay a courtesy call on the President of Finland on June 4.
On the first day of her visit to Japan today, the prime minister will attend a community reception at Hotel Okura around 8:30 pm (Japan time).
On May 29, the Prime Minister will attend a breakfast roundtable meeting with Japanese Business leaders and CEOs at Hotel New Otani.
After that, Japanese victims of the Holy Artisan incident will call on her.
In the afternoon, she will have a bilateral meeting with her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe at his office. Sheikh Hasina will be given a guard of honour when she will reach the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office.
After the bilateral talks, there will be a signing ceremony and a joint press statement.
In the evening, she will attend an official dinner to be hosted by Shinzo Abe at his residence.
On May 30, Sheikh Hasina will attend the Nikkei Conference at Imperial Hotel where Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Bin Mohammad will deliver the keynote speech.
Sheikh Hasina will address the 25th International Conference on the Future Asia at the same venue.
Later, JICA president Shinichi Kitaoka will call on her at her place of residence.
In the evening, the Prime Minister will attend the Nikkei Conference Dinner where Japanese Prime Minister will be the keynote speaker.
On May 31 at 9.25am (Japan Time), Sheikh Hasina will depart from Haneda International Airport for Jeddah to attend the 14th session of the OIC’s Islamic Summit in Makkah.
Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiko Abe will see her off at the airport.
She will arrive at King Abdulaziz International Airport at 5:25 pm (KSA time).
In the evening, she will attend the opening ceremony of the OIC summit at Safa Palace, Makkah.
Saudi Arabia is hosting the 14th session of the OIC’s Islamic Summit in Makkah on May 31 and on June 1 at 12.30am, she will attend the first working session and at 1.30am the second working session.
She will attend the closing session at 2.30am and then join the Suhoor Banquet at Safa Palace.
In the evening, she will perform Umrah.
On June 2, the Prime Minister will depart Jeddah for Madina by air in the morning and offer Fateha at the Rawza Mubarak (grave) of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).
In the evening, she will depart from Madinah for Jeddah by air.
On June 3 at 1.10am, she will depart Jeddah for Helsinki, Finland via Frankfurt. She will arrive at Helsinki International Airport at 1pm (Finland time).
On June 4, she will call on the Finland President at his official residence.
On June 7, the Prime Minister will leave Helsinki for Dhaka at 6.35pm (Finland time) by Finair.
She is due to return home on June 7.
