Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)-Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Dhaka Saturday morning for a two-day “historic” visit.
This is Modi’s maiden visit to Bangladesh as Indian PM.
A special aircraft carrying the Indian PM touched the ground at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, at 10:10am on Saturday.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received her Indian counterpart with a cordial reception at the airport.
Bangladesh provided him a grand welcome rolling out a red carpet amid expectations on both sides to take bilateral ties to a new level and unleash the potential of economic and trade ties.
The capital city Dhaka is having a festive look with streets adorned with life-size cutouts of Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to greet Modi.
The Indian PM was straight drove to the National Memorial in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, from the airport where he paid homage to the martyrs of Liberation War.
From there, Modi started for Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 in Dhaka where he will lay wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Mamata arrived Friday night and expected to take part in the flag off ceremony of Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service and signing of the Land Boundary agreement.
“Leaving for Bangladesh. This visit is going to strengthen the bond between our nations, benefitting people of our countries and our region,” the Prime Minister tweeted before leaving Delhi for Dhaka.
Modi is scheduled to meet BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Sunday. She had earlier refused to meet President Pranab Mukherjee in March 2013.
Jamaat Islami Bangladesh, which often makes anti-India speeches, too seems happy with Modi’s visit.
In Delhi, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankankar said Modi’s visit would be historic and the wrapping up the land boundary agreement will be the central point of discussion.
Both countries are also looking to step up security, defence and economic ties, the foreign secretary added.
BBN/SS/ANS
