PM reaches London en route to Sofia

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached London yesterday afternoon for a three-day private visit on her way to another three-day official trip to Bulgaria.

During her stay in London on May 15-17, she is scheduled to meet her niece Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, highly placed sources said.

Also a granddaughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Tulip gave birth to her first child, a girl, on April 9. Tulip and her husband Chris Percy have named the baby Azalea Joy.

The prime minister has no official business in London, diplomatic sources in Dhaka and London have confirmed.

She accompanies a 39-member delegation, which includes 10 officials from the PMO, four officials from the foreign ministry, an 11-member advance security team, eight accompanying security personnel and six official media persons.

Bangladesh High Commissioner in London Abdul Hannan and other high officials received the prime minister upon her arrival by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in Heathrow International Airport.

She was then taken to St James Court-Taj Hotel at Buckingham Gate in London where she would stay during her visit.

Hasina is set to leave London for Bulgaria on May 18 to attend the Unesco-sponsored Global Women Leaders' Forum where she would hold high-profile meetings on the sideline of the conference.

After coming back to Dhaka on May 21, the premier is scheduled to leave for Japan on May 26 for a four-day visit to take part in an outreach meeting during the G7 Summit on May 26-27 at Ise-Shima.

She has another scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia in early June.

In Bulgaria, the PM would lead a 59-member delegation, which includes officials, security personnel, eminent personalities and media persons.

Hasina is the only head of government who is taking part in the Global Women Leaders' Forum.

On the first day of her Bulgaria visit, she would call on Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev at the Presidential Palace. She would also deliver a keynote speech in the opening ceremony of the women leaders' conference the same day.

On May 20, the premier would hold an exclusive meeting with her Bulgarian counterpart Bouko Borissov. The premiers are set to hold a delegation level bilateral meeting, which would be followed by signing of several deals.

Foreign ministry sources said the two prime ministers, after the official talks on May 20, would witness signing of some agreements and deliver a joint press statement.

Tsetska Tsacheva Dangovska, president of the National Parliament of Bulgaria, would also call on the prime minister.