PM reaches Abu Dhabi

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in Abu Dhabi this morning from Munich of Germany on her three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to attend the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2019).

An Etihad Airways flight carrying the prime minister and her entourage members landed at Abu Dhabi International Airport at 6:40am Abu Dhabi time.

Bangladesh Ambassador to the UAE Mohammad Imran received the prime minister at the airport.

After the reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade escorted the premier to St Regis Abu Dhabi Hotel where she will be staying during her visit to the UAE.

The prime minister earlier departed Munich International Airport for the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi at 9:40pm Munich time (2:40am Sunday Bangladesh time) concluding her three-day official visit to Germany to attend an international security conference.

During the visit to the UAE, Sheikh Hasina will attend the opening session of the International Defence Exhibition (IDEX-2019) at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC) today.

The premier will meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and hold bilateral talks with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai. She will have meetings with other leaders.

Sheikh Hasina will have an audience with Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Al Ketbi, wife of late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder and the Inaugural President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, at Al Bahar Palace.

The prime minister will join a community event at St Regis Abu Dhabi Hotel.

The premier reached Munich on Thursday in the first leg of her maiden overseas tour in two countries – Germany and the UAE – after assuming office for the third term last month.

Sheikh Hasina joined the two-day Munich Security Conference that concluded on Saturday.

On the sidelines of the 55th edition of the conference, the prime minister addressed a roundtable on ‘Health in Crises – WHO Cares’ and took part in a panel discussion on “Climate Change as a security threat”.

International Criminal Court (ICC) Chief Prosecutor Dr Fatu Bensouda and Executive Director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons Nobel laureate Batrice Fihn separately called on Sheikh Hasina here.

The prime minister joined a community reception organised by Bangladesh Mission in Germany at Hotel Sheraton.

Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to return home from Abu Dhabi in the morning on February 20.