PM leaves Saudi Arabia for London

Dammam, Saudi Arabia: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has left Saudi Arabia for London after attending the concluding ceremony of a Saudi-led joint military exercise named ‘Gulf Shield-1 in eastern province of Al-Jubail.

A special flight carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage departed Dammam King Fahd International Airport at 6:50 pm (local time) on Monday. Bangladesh Ambassador to Saudi Arab Golam Moshi saw off her at the airport, reports the UNB.

The flight is scheduled to land at Heathrow International Airport in London around midnight (local time).

Earlier on Sunday, Sheikh Hasina arrived here on a nine-day official visit to Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.

The Prime Minister joined the function at the invitation of the Saudi King and the custodian of the two holy mosques Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud as the parades of armed forces of 24 participating countries, including Bangladesh, featured the ceremony.

Sheikh Hasina was greeted by the Saudi king on her arrival at the venue as he oversaw the conclusion of the military drill in the presence of a number of leaders of friendly countries taken part in the month-long exercise, said Prime Minister’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim.

Saudi Arabia organised the military exercise for boosting defence cooperation and coordination with friendly countries to protect the Gulf regional security and peace through enhanced military readiness, also to ensure global peace.

An 18-member delegation of Bangladesh Armed Forces participated in the exercise that began on March 18.

During her visit to London, the Prime Minister will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London. The theme of this year’s CHOGM is - ‘Towards a Common Future’.

On Tuesday (April 17), the Prime Minister will attend the Commonwealth Women Forum as a presenter at a session on ‘Educate to empower: making equitable and quality primary education and secondary education a reality for girls across the Commonwealth’ in the morning at Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster.

Sheikh Hasina will join a high-level programme to be organised by Overseas Development Institute (ODI), a prestigious think-tank of the UK, in the afternoon.

She will be the keynote speaker on ‘Development Progress of Bangladesh: Policy, Progress and Prospect’ at the programme.

On April 18, the Prime Minister will take part in the Asian leaders’ roundtable - ‘Can Asia keep growing?’

She will join the Welcome Reception followed by a dinner to be hosted by British Prime Minister Theresa May in the afternoon.

Sheikh Hasina will attend the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the official welcome to be hosted by the British Prime Minister on April 19.

She will join a reception to be hosted by Commonwealth Secretary General Patricia Scotland QC and a presentation and a reception followed by a dinner of Queen Elizabeth II in honour of Heads of Government and their spouses/partners.

The Prime Minister will attend three retreat sessions and the closing executive session of the summit on April 20.

On April 21, she will join a reception for the participating Commonwealth Heads of Government and the Queen’s Birthday Party Concert to be organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS).

Hasina will join a community reception the same day. She will also call on heads of government of different countries on the sidelines of the summit.

The Prime Minister will leave London on April 22 and return home at 9:15am on April 23.