Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has left for Bangkok on a bilateral visit at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Shretha Thavisin.
He left on a Bangladesh Biman flight from Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport after 10 am on Wednesday morning, said Gulshahana Urmi, the Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary.
Thai Prime Minister Shretha Thavisin will officially welcome Sheikh Hasina in Bangkok. The head of government of Bangladesh will be given a red carpet reception at the airport.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also meet the country’s King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida at the Royal Palace of Thailand during the visit.
The Prime Minister of Bangladesh will also attend the 80th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia Pacific (UNESCAP) during this five-day visit.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this is going to be the first visit of the head of government of Bangladesh to Thailand in 52 years of diplomatic relations. The visit is “significant” for both countries in the context of opening a ‘new window of cooperation’ between the two friendly states.
United Nations Under-Secretary and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Armida Salsiah Alishabana will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud has already said that four agreements and memorandum of understanding are expected to be signed in addition to the signing of ‘Letter of Intent’ for the start of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations between the two countries during the Prime Minister’s visit to Thailand.
According to the data of the Bank of Thailand, the amount of trade between the two countries was more than 118 million dollars in 2023. Out of this, Bangladesh’s export share is about 9 million dollars.
In 2022, goods from Bangladesh to Thailand were worth only 83.1 million dollars; On the contrary, imported goods worth 117 million dollars.
Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs say that the government believes that the free trade agreement can play a role in reducing this huge gap in bilateral trade.
Sheikh Hasina’s visit will see the signing of three separate MoUs on visa exemption agreements for official passport holders and mutual cooperation on energy, tourism and customs.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said in a press conference on Monday that through this visit, the two countries will review the ‘Free Trade Agreement’ to expand trade and increase import and export, as well as other issues of mutual interest, especially in the areas of investment, tourism, energy, land and sea connectivity, development etc. There will be an opportunity for detailed discussions on enhancing cooperation.”
Prime Minister of Thailand Shretha Thavisin will officially welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by providing a guard of honor on April 26.
After that, there will be a bilateral meeting between the two Prime Ministers at the Government House of Thailand. Prime Minister Hasina will attend the state lunch organized by Prime Minister Shretha on the same day.
The Prime Minister will address the UN Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals at the opening of the 80th session of UNESCAP on April 25 before the start of bilateral formalities.
United Nations Under-Secretary and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Armida Salsiah Alishabana will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that day.
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