Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going on a six-day state visit to the country at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Sretha Thavisin to strengthen bilateral relations. Today (April 24) he will leave Dhaka for Bangkok.
Prime Minister’s speech writer. Nazrul Islam said, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage is expected to leave Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10 am. The flight is scheduled to land at Bangkok’s Don Mueang International Airport at 1:30 pm local time.
On the occasion of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Thailand, Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said, ‘It is both a bilateral and multilateral visit.’
The foreign minister said, ‘This visit is significant for both sides. Because it will open a new window of cooperation between two friendly countries (Bangladesh and Thailand).’
This will be the Prime Minister’s first bilateral visit after forming the government in January. During the visit, Bangladesh Prime Minister will hold bilateral talks with Thai Prime Minister Sretha Thavisin and attend the 80th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNSCAP).
The foreign minister said, ‘Bangladesh and Thailand will sign several cooperation documents including a letter of intent to negotiate a free trade agreement between the two countries.’
Bangladesh and Thailand are likely to sign visa waiver for government passport holders, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation and two more MoUs on cooperation in the tourism sector and mutual cooperation on customs to expand ties.
The Foreign Minister said that the visit will create an opportunity to review the possible ‘Free Trade Agreement’ between the two countries to expand trade and increase imports and exports.
Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that Dhaka will strongly raise the issue of Bangladesh’s request to become a ‘Sectoral Dialogue Partner’ of ASEAN during the Prime Minister’s visit.
The foreign minister said Bangladesh will reiterate its call to Thailand as a member of ASEAN to play a more active role in the Rohingya repatriation process amid the ongoing political conflict inside Myanmar. He said, “Since both Thailand and Myanmar belong to ASEAN, the Rohingya issue will be discussed with due importance.”
Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that the high-level visit will also discuss cooperation in the fields of investment, tourism, energy, land and sea connectivity. Bangladesh and Thailand can exploit the immense potential of the tourism sector through joint activities and exchange expertise in human resource development, promotion of Buddhist circuit programs as well as investment in the travel and leisure industry. This cooperation in the tourism industry can create significant economic growth and employment opportunities in both countries.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be formally welcomed by Thai Prime Minister Sretha Thavisin on April 26 and will be given a formal guard of honour.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hold a private bilateral meeting with Sretha Thavisin at Thailand’s Government House, attend the signing of the document, attend a joint press conference and then attend a state lunch hosted by the Thai Prime Minister in Bangladesh’s honor.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will be present at the Royal Palace along with the royal visitors of Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Queen Suthida Vajrasudhabimalalakshana.
The Prime Minister will attend and address the 80th session of UNCAP on April 25. On the same day, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and ESC Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjabana will meet with the Prime Minister.
Under the theme ‘Leveraging Digital Innovation for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific’, the 80th session is expected to be an opportunity to strengthen regional collaborative action to harness digital innovation to speed up the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The session is bringing together government leaders and ministers and other key stakeholders from Asia and the Pacific to discuss how digital innovation can contribute more inclusively to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. live
Financial Index/AHR
