Nepal president Bidya Devi Bhandari arrives Dhaka
She reached at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 10:05am
Nepal President Bidya Devi Bhandari has reached Dhaka today on a two-day visit to attend the ongoing twin mega celebrations and take forward the growing relations.
A VVIP aircraft of Nepal Airlines (A320), carrying the Nepalese President along with her entourage members, landed at Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport (HISA) at 10 am.
It is the first visit of a Nepalese President to Dhaka. The Himalayan state's President is visiting Bangladesh at the invitation of her Bangladeshi counterpart.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The Nepalese President became the third among the world leaders to attend the celebrations of the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Maintaining the health guidelines due to pandemic COVID-19 outbreak, President Hamid received his Nepalese counterpart with a bouquet at the airport at 10.17am.
The visiting delegation members also maintained health rules, including wearing masks and maintaining social distancing, on the occasion.
The Nepalese President was given an honour guard with 21-gun salute by a smartly turned out contingent drawn from Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force at the HISA.
Abdul Hamid and his Nepalese counterpart Bhandari enjoyed the state honour staying on the makeshift saluting dais while the national anthem of the respective states was played.
The state guest also inspected the parade and subsequently both the Presidents introduced the respective countries delegation to each other.
Nepalese President entourage members include: President's daughter Usha Kiran Bhandari, Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and secretaries concerned and senior officials of the Nepalese government.
On the occasion, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujon, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Fazilatun Nessa Indira, among others, were present at the airport.
Besides, cabinet secretary, chiefs of the three services, principal secretary to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), foreign secretary, IGP and secretaries concerned to the President's office were also present.
Bangladesh is hosting a 10-day special programme to celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh's Independence that began on 17 March at the National Parade Ground.
From the airport, the Nepalese president is scheduled to visit National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar to pay tributes to the Liberation War heroes by placing wreaths. She will sign the visitors' book there and plant a sapling.
She will also visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi to pay tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
During the visit, president Bhandari will attend the celebrations of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Monday afternoon as Guest of Honour. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will receive the Nepalese President at the venue.
On the occasion, the president will deliver a statement on the theme of "Nepal-Bangladesh Relations and Bangabandhu's Birth Centenary".
She will also hold talks with the president of Bangladesh at Bangabhaban. Meanwhile, foreign minister AK Abdul Momen will meet the Nepalese president at Presidential suite of a city hotel on Monday.
President Bhandari will attend the State Banquet hosted by the president of Bangladesh in her honour.
A cultural troupe will also be a part of the Nepalese delegation which will perform at a cultural show during the birth centenary celebration programme in Dhaka.
The president is also scheduled to visit the Embassy of Nepal, meet its nationals in Bangladesh and attend the luncheon to be hosted in her honour by the Ambassador of Nepal to Bangladesh.
President Bhandari will return to Nepal on Tuesday afternoon. Foreign minister Momen will see her off at the airport.
President of the Maldives Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa already attended the programme in person.
