PM reaches Kolkata to watch Bangladesh-India 2nd test match

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reached Kolkata, capital of the India's West Bengal province, on a daylong official visit to watch the second cricket Test of the two-match Test series between Bangladesh and India that begins at Eden Gardens at 1pm local time.

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines special flight carrying the prime minister and her entourage members landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata at 10:25am (Indian time).

Mayor of Kolkata and Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs of West Bengal Firhad Hakim, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Moazzem Ali, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly received the premier at the airport.

After reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade escorted the prime minister to Hotel Taj Bengal, Kolkata where she will be staying during her short visit.

Indian Premier Narendra Modi has formally invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the historic day-night Test match in the West Bengal capital of Kolkata, popularly known as 'City of Joy' from November 22 to 26.

Bangladesh and India will play their maiden day-night Test match where pink ball will be used for the first time of any Test cricket match of the two neighbours.

Sheikh Hasina will go to the Eden Gardens around 12:30pm local time where she along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will ring the ceremonial bell for the opening of the Test match between Bangladesh and India.

After watching the first session of the second Test match, the prime minister will return to her place of residence.

The premier will again go to the stadium in the evening.

After the first day's match, she will join a short cultural function that will be followed by a felicitation programme to be arranged by the Cricket Association of Bengal at the ground of the Eden Gardens Stadium.

The prime minister will depart from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata for Dhaka by a Biman Bangladesh Airlines special flight at 10pm (Indian time) and the flight is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 11:30pm (BST).

Earlier, President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to watch the second Test match in Kolkata.