PM set to leave for Italy on Feb 4

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to leave here for Rome on February 4 on a four-day bilateral official visit to Italy at the invitation of her Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte.

During the visit, the prime minister will hold bilateral meeting with her Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte on February 5, a source at the Prime Minister's office told BSS. 

A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the premier and her entourage members will take off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) for Italian capital of Rome in the morning on February 4.

The flight is scheduled to land at Fiumicino Airport, Rome at 4:15 pm local time where Bangladesh Ambassador to Italy Abdus Sobhan Sikder will receive the premier. 

After the reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade will escort the Bangladesh prime minister to Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & Spa, where she will be staying during her visit to the Italian capital. 

Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to join a community event at Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & Spa in the evening the same day. 

On February 5, she will inaugurate the Chancery Building of Bangladesh Embassy in Rome in Via Dell'Antartide area in the morning.

In the afternoon, the prime minister will hold bilateral talks with Italian premier Giuseppe Conte and join an official lunch at Palazzo Chigi, the official residence of the Italian prime minister.

The two leaders, in their summit meeting, are expected to discuss the whole range of bilateral issues as well as important regional and international matters of common concern. 

Later, senior officials of the Italian business companies are expected to call on the Bangladesh prime minister at the meeting room of her place of residence.

The prime minister will then attend a dinner to be hosted by the Bangladesh ambassador to Italy at Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel & Spa.

On February 6, Sheikh Hasina will have an audience with Pope Francis in the morning.

Then the prime minister will depart Rome for the Italian city of Milan by train at 12:50 pm and reach there at 4 pm local time.

She will stay at Excelsior Hotel Gallia during the visit to Milan, the source said.

On February 7, the prime minister will leave Milan Malpensa International Airport for home by an Emirates flight at 1:40 pm local time.

She will reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka at 8:10 am Bangladesh time on February 8 via Dubai.

Foreign Ministry sources said they are considering the visit as highly important as it involves the search for fresh investments by Italian entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, export of more items to Italy as well as seeking areas to export skilled manpower.

Italy is one of the largest trading partners of Bangladesh and more than 200,000 Bangladeshis live there.