Abbas flies in today

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrives in Dhaka today on a three-day visit aiming to further strengthen bilateral relations through more diverse and meaningful engagements, particularly in the field of trade and commerce.

He is coming to Bangladesh at the invitation of President Abdul Hamid, according to an official announcement of the foreign ministry issued yesterday.

This is the first official visit of the Palestine president to Bangladesh. Earlier, he made a brief stopover in Dhaka in February last year on his way to Japan from Jordan.

A special aircraft carrying the president is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the afternoon. He would be accompanied by the foreign minister, chief justice, spokesperson of the president, diplomatic affairs adviser and other top civil and military officials of his country.

The Palestinian president is scheduled to visit the National Mausoleum at Savar on his arrival and place wreaths in memory of the freedom fighters, who sacrificed their lives for independence of Bangladesh in 1971.

President Abbas would also visit the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Dhanmondi Road 32 and pay respect to the portrait of the Father of the Nation.

The foreign ministry in its release said President Mahmoud Abbas would call on his Bangladesh counterpart and hold a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Both the sides are expected to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of common concern.

At the meetings, Palestinian Foreign Minister Dr Riad NA Malki is likely to seek continuing support from Bangladesh on Palestinian causes.

Foreign ministry officials said Dhaka would reiterate its reaffirmation of Bangladesh's unequivocal support for the rights of the Palestinians to self-determination and independence.

Bangladesh and Palestine are also expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on formation of a Joint Commission at the foreign ministry level.