Bhutan seeks support to host 16th Saarc Summit

King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck sought Bangladesh's support for hosting the 16th summit of Saarc as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had an audience with the monarch discussing ways of bolstering bilateral cooperation.
The Bhutanese king sought the support when the visiting prime minister met him at his office Tashichodzong yesterday morning.
Hasina assured the king of providing all possible supports to Bhutan for holding the summit, said Deputy Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Nazrul Islam.
The king also sought Bangladesh's cooperation in expediting socio-economic development of Bhutan.
The Bangladesh premier and the Bhutanese king also shared climate woes, as both the countries are victims of the fallout of global warming caused by excessive carbon emissions from the developed countries.
Hasina reiterated her call for closer fraternity among the South Asian countries to face the challenges of climate change and poverty alleviation.
She said, “Bhutan, like Bangladesh, is going to be the worst sufferer of the global warming as glaciers in the Himalayas continued to melt down.”
In this context, the Bhutanese king said there are 4,000 glacier lakes in Bhutan, of which 24 are now in a very dangerous situation as, due to impact of the glacier melting, these can burst anytime and cause serious casualties of life and property.
About the socio-economic issues, Hasina said her government would always stand by Bhutan for helping it in attaining the development targets.
The deputy press secretary said during the hour-long meeting, the prime minister and the Bhutanese kind talked various issues of bilateral development, culture and history in a very “cordial manner”.
The premier arrived at the king's office in a ceremonial motorcade led by a colourful traditional Bhutanese procession known as 'Chhipdrel' at 9:20am (local time).
The ceremonial march started from the south gate of Tashichhodzong royal office. On her arrival, Sheikh Hasina and her delegation were received by Dzongda (governor) of Thimphu Lhab Dorji and senior government officials.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Adviser to the Prime Minister HT Imam, Industries Minister Dilip Barua, Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister MA Karim and Ambassador Ziauddin, among others, accompanied the prime minister at the ceremonies.
Several hundred Bhutanese males and females from various cultural groups of the country, wearing different types of colourful dresses depicting Bhutanese traditions, joined the reception pageantry.
At the main entrance of the king's office, Sheikh Hasina was received by the ADC to the king, senior government officials and Bhutan's chief of protocol.
The Bangladesh prime minister was then escorted to the South Court of the king's office premises and accorded a guard of honour as national anthems of the two South Asian nations were played.
Standing on a podium, Sheikh Hasina received salute of the Bhutanese royal army. Later, she inspected the guards.
After the royal reception, the Bangladesh prime minister was then escorted into the king's chamber where she had the audience with King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
On the occasion of Sheikh Hasina's meet with the Bhutanese king, the whole of the city was decorated with big ceremonial arches as well as banners and festoons, and national flags of the two friendly countries.
Hundreds of students, standing in queues, welcomed the prime minister on her way to the king's place from her hotel lodge.
Sheikh Hasina through the present king thanked his father, former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck, for voluntarily introducing democracy in the kingdom.
Meanwhile, Economic Affairs Minister of Bhutan Lyonpo Khandu Wangchuk paid a courtesy call on Sheikh Hasina at her hotel suite. During the meeting, the prime minister laid emphasis on enhancing the bilateral trade volume for economic development of the two peoples.
Sheikh Hasina also told the minister that as Bangladesh and Bhutan enjoy trade interaction, if Bhutan wants, Bangladesh can open branch of its any public or private bank here in Thimphu.
Later, the premier and her delegation attended a royal lunch at Dechenchholingn Palace, the place of residence of the Bhutanese King.