PM Hasina flies to Germany

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has left for Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend a security conference in Munich and a defence exhibition in Abu Dhabi.

She left Dhaka for the one-week visit on Thursday morning.

The Munich Security Conference (MSC) 2019 will be held from February 15 to 17 in Germany; and the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2019) will be held in Abu Dhabi, UAE on February 17.

A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister, and her entourage, departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:20am.

The flight is scheduled to reach Munich International Airport, Germany, at 1:15pm (local time). Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Germany Imtiaz Ahmed will receive Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the airport.

She will visit the UAE from Germany. Two MoUs on investment are likely to be signed during her visit to the UAE, Foreign Minister Dr Abdul Momen said at a press conference on Wednesday.

The two MoUs will be signed with the private office of Sheikh Ahmed Dalmook Al Maktoum.

Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB) will sign an MoU to undertake projects on the development of a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal, power plant, and other projects of mutual interest.

The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) will sign the second MoU to set up a Special Economic Zone on 300 acres of land in Matarbari.

During the Prime Minister's stay in Germany, she will attend a community reception at Hotel Sheraton, in Munich, to be hosted by the European Awami League, on Thursday.

On Friday morning, she will attend the health security roundtable titled “Health in Crisis - WHO Cares?” to be jointly hosted by MSC, the Centre for Strategies and International Studies, and WHO at Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Beatrice Fihn, and Chief Prosecutor of the ICC Dr Bensouda, will call on her, separately, after the event.

In the afternoon, Sheikh Hasina will attend the opening ceremony of the MSC at the Conference Hall of Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

After the ceremony, President and CEO of Siemens AG Joe Kaeser, and CEO of Veridos Hans Wolfgang Kunz, will call on her, separately.

Then, she will attend a dinner to be hosted by President of the World Economic Forum and CEO of Jigsaw Borge Brende Jared Cohen at the Hotel Bayerischer Hof.

On Saturday afternoon, the prime minister will join a panel discussion on “Climate Change as a Security Threat” at the Conference Hall of the Bayerischer Hof.

On the same day at 9:40pm (local time), she will depart from Munich International Airport, for Abu Dhabi, by a flight of Etihad Airlines, to attend the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2019).

Bangladesh Ambassador to Germany Imtiaz Ahmed will see her off at the airport.

She will arrive at Abu Dhabi International Airport at 6:45am on February 17, where she will be received by Bangladesh Ambassador to the UAE Mohammad Imran.

Sheikh Hasina will attend the Opening Session of the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2019) at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) at 10am.

She will hold a meeting with Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan.

The Bangladeshi prime minister will also hold bilateral meetings with Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Later, she will attend a dinner to be hosted by the Bangladesh Ambassador to the UAE.

On February 18, the prime minister will take audience with Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, wife of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, plus the founder and inaugural president of the UAE and ruler of Abu Dhabi, , at Al Bahar Palace, in the afternoon.

Later, she will attend a community event at the Ballroom of the St Regis Abu Dhabi.

On February 20, in theearly hours, the prime minister will fly from Abu Dhabi International Airport, to Dhaka, by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Ambassador to the UAE Mohammad Imran will see her off at the airport.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will arrive in Dhaka at 7am on the same day.