PM goes to Brunei on Sunday

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will begin a three-day visit to Brunei Darussalam on Sunday to encourage the country to invest in Bangladesh and to hire more trained Bangladeshis.

She will be visiting the Southeast Asian country at the invitation of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

The PM will discuss how the two countries can cooperate with each other to improve bilateral trade and commerce.

Brunei has one of the world's highest standards of living thanks to its bountiful oil and gas reserves.

Diplomatic sources said Bangladesh and Brunei are expected to sign several deals on bilateral economic cooperation during the PM's April 21-23 visit.

According to the programme schedule, Hasina will fly on a special Biman aircraft on Sunday morning and reach Brunei International Airport in Bandar Seri Begawan at 2:45pm (local time). Crown Prince of Brunei Darussalam Al-Muhtadee Billah will receive the Bangladesh PM at the airport.

On the same day, the PM will attend a community reception, to be hosted by expatriate Bangladeshis in Brunei, at the Empire Hotel and Country Club, where she will be staying during her visit.

On Monday, she will have a general audience with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Royal family members at the Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan.

“After the audience, the prime minister will hold bilateral talks with the Sultan at Baitul Mesyuarah in Istana Nurul Iman,” PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told BSS, adding that the talks would be followed by signing of MoUs.

In the afternoon, Hasina will join a meeting between businessmen from Bangladesh, Brunei and Brunei National Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Empire Hotel and Country Club. She will attend an official banquet to be hosted by the Sultan.

She will lay the foundation stone of the new Chancery Building of the Bangladesh High Commission at Jalan Kebangsaan in Bandar Seri Begawan on Tuesday morning.

Hasina will leave Brunei for home at 5:00pm (local time) on the same day.