PM departs for Saudi Arabia

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Saudi Arabia this morning to attend an international conference on 'Women in Islam: Status and Empowerment' in Jeddah.

Saudi Arabia in coordination with the general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will host the conference from November 6 to 8.

A commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the PM and her entourage departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:10am.

She is scheduled to reach Prince Mohammad Bin Abdul Aziz International Airport in Madina at about 1:30pm local time.

Today, the prime minister will offer Fateha at the Rawza Mubarak of the Prophet (PBUH) after Asr prayer. Then, she will leave Madina for Jeddah and then perform Umrah in Makkah.

Tomorrow, the PM will join the opening event of the International Conference on Women in Islam and deliver her speech as the guest of honour there.

Besides, Hasina will have separate meetings with Iranian vice president for Women and Family Affairs Department Enseieh Khazali, Executive Director of OIC Women Development Organisation Dr Afnan Alshuaiby and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan.

She also will attend the inauguration of the Women in Islam Exhibition to be arranged by Princess Noura University on the same day.

On Tuesday, the Bangladesh premier will offer prayers in the Masjid al-Haram.

She will leave Makkah for home by a commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines from King Abdulaziz International Airport at about 10:45pm local time. The flight is scheduled to land at Dhaka at 8:00am on Wednesday.

The international conference on women in Islam is being held aiming to clarify women's rights and responsibilities in Islam, especially women's rights to education and work as per the teachings of Islam, with broad participation from scholars of the Muslim Ummah.