PM leaves for Nepal today
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves Dhaka for Nepal today to attend the 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Summit on November 26-27 where she is expected to meet all top Saarc leaders.
Though there is no proposal for bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Summit with heads of important member state or government according to the PM's programme schedule book, the foreign ministry officials yesterday said the premier will go to Kathmandu with the intention to hold meaningful dialogues with as many Saarc leaders as possible.
So far, the ministry has confirmed bilateral meetings with Nepalese PM Sushil Koirala, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
The schedule of the bilateral meetings with other heads of the Saarc state or government, including Indian PM Narendra Modi, was being finalised, a foreign ministry high official now in Kathmandu told The Daily Star over the phone.
Asked about the agenda of these meetings, he said all aspects of bilateral relations will come up in the discussions.
“But with India, several pending issues, including the Land Boundary Agreement, Teesta River Water Sharing deal as well as issues like cooperation in areas of connectivity, energy, security and trade will figure prominently,” he mentioned.
Another foreign ministry official said Hasina may hold a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the sidelines of the Summit as Bangladesh wants to have peaceful and cooperative relations with Pakistan.
“Our PM may seek cooperation and support from her Pakistani counterpart about the ongoing war crimes trial,” the official said.
The two-day Saarc Summit will begin at the City Hall (Rashtriya Sabha Griha), Bhrikuti Mandap in Kathmandu on Wednesday morning.
“Deeper integration for peace and prosperity” has been chosen as the theme for the Summit.
Hasina, with a 63-member official delegation, departs for Kathmandu at 3:00pm today by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
The delegation that includes Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, 11 officials from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), 10 from the foreign ministry, six from other ministries, 21 security personnel and a 13-member PMO media team.
Besides, around 80 journalists from across the country were sent to cover the Summit yesterday under government arrangements.
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