PM Hasina arrives in Tokyo

As part of her tri-nation visit, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived here on Tuesday evening on a four-day official tour to Japan to attend the Nikkei international conference on the Future of Asia.

The flight carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage landed at Haneda International Airport, Tokyo at 6:30pm local time (3:30pm Bangladesh Time) where Japanese State Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshiko Abe received her. Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Rabab Fatima was present.

Sheikh Hasina was then escorted in a ceremonial motorcade to Hotel New Otani, Chiyoda City where she will be staying during her Japan visit.

On Tuesday morning, the Prime Minister left Dhaka on a 12-day tri-nation visit to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Finland by a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

The flight left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:10am.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal, PM’s Adviser on Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Imran Ahmad and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid are accompanying the Prime Minister.

During the PM’s stay in Japan, the two countries will sign the 40th ODA deal involving US$ 2.5 billion after a bilateral meeting between Sheikh Hasina and her Japanese counterpart Shinzō Abe on Wednesday.

Sheikh Hasina will attend an international conference on the Future of Asia on Thursday.

On the first day of her Japan visit, Sheikh Hasina will attend a community event at Hotel Okura.

On Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister will attend a breakfast roundtable meeting with Japanese Business leaders and CEOs at Hotel New Otani. After that, the Japanese family members of the Holy Artisan victims will call on her.

In the afternoon, she will have a bilateral meeting with her Japanese counterpart Shinzō Abe at his office. Sheikh Hasina will be given guard of honour when she will reach the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office. After the bilateral talks, there will be a signing ceremony and joint press statement.

Later in the evening, she will attend the official dinner to be hosted by Prime Minister Shinzō Abe at his residence.

On Thursday, Sheikh Hasina will attend the Nikkei International Conference on "The Future of Asia" at Imperial Hotel.

Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Bin Mohammad and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be the keynote speakers in the 25th International Conference on the Future Asia.

The theme of the conference is "In Search of the New Global Order Overcoming the Chaos."

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, the Prime Minister will depart from Haneda International Airport at 9:25am (local time) for Jeddah to attend the 14th session of the OIC’s Islamic Summit in Makkah.

In Saudi Arabia, the Prime Minister will attend the 14th session of the OIC’s Islamic Summit in Makkah and perform the holy Umrah on June 1 and offer Ziarat at the Rawza Mubarak of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) on June 2.

On the morning of June 3, she will leave Jeddah for Helsinki, Finland via Frankfurt.

During her stay in Finland, Sheikh Hasina will have a meeting with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö on June 4.

On June 8, the Prime Minister is scheduled to return home after leaving Helsinki on June 7 evening.

Source: unb