Dhaka: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Dhaka this evening on a three-day visit as Dhaka hopes that “her visit would help facilitate resolving outstanding issues between the two neighbouring countries”.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Pankaj Saran received the West Bengal chief minister at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8.50pm.

Earlier, Shahriar Alam said that Dhaka hopes that the visit would help facilitate resolving the outstanding issues like Teesta water sharing and land boundary agreements between Bangladesh and India.

Talking to journalists on Tuesday, he said although it is not a bilateral visit, Teesta water sharing and LBA (land boundary agreement)issues and other pending matters would certainly come up for discussion during her Dhaka trip.

The West Bengal chief minister has been visiting Bangladesh at the invitation of Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali to join the “Shaheed Dibash” and “International Mother Language Day” programmes on 21 February as a guest of honour.

During her visit, Mamata would pay homage to the Language Martyrs at the Central Shaheed Minar at the first hour of February 21 and would visit the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum to pay respect to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, according to a foreign ministry press release issued here on Tuesday.

She is also scheduled to call on President Md. Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and attend a High Tea to be hosted by Mahmood Ali.

Besides, she will address a “Business Meet” to be jointly organized by India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI), Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Indian Chambers of Commerce (ICC), Kolkata.

She will also attend a reception to be hosted in her honour by the high commissioner of India in Dhaka. Her other engagements would include interaction with eminent cultural personalities of Bangladesh and India.

This is Mamata Banerjee’s first visit to Bangladesh after taking office as the chief minister of West Bengal in May 2011.

The West Bengal chief minister will be accompanied, among others, by Firhad Hakim, West Bengal minister of urban development, Bratya Basu, West Bengal minister of tourism, Deepak Adhikari, MP, Ms Moonmoon Sen, MP, Sanjay Mitra, chief secretary, and other senior officials.

Her delegation also includes eminent cultural, business and media personalities including famed singers Kabir Suman, Nachiketa and Indranil Sen, filmmaker Gautam Ghosh, poet Subodh Sarkar, and actor Arindam Sil.