Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka Monday morning for Moscow on a three-day official visit.
The PM is paying the visit at the invitation of the leadership of the Russian Federation, officials said.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the premier and the members of her entourage took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital Dhaka at 9:15am.
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Jute and Textiles Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Home Minister Dr MK Alamgir, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Faruk Khan, Railways Minister Mujibul Haque, Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Chief Whip Abdus Shahid saw the PM off at the airport.
Cabinet secretary, chiefs of three services, charge de affairs of Russian Embassy in Dhaka and senior officials were also present.
A high-powered delegation, including Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and State Minister for Science and Technology Yeafesh Osman are accompanying the PM.
The flight is expected to reach Sheremetyevo International Airport (SVO) in Moscow at 3:10pm (Russian time).
During the PM's visit, Bangladesh and Russia are expected to sign four agreements, including the much-talked-about pact for setting up a 1,000-MW nuclear power plant at Rooppur.
Six memorandums of understanding (MoU) in different areas of agriculture, health, education, culture, law and justice and counter-terrorism is also scheduled to be signed.
Hasina would have tete-a-tete with President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin (President's Office).
Later, she will join the official talks with Russia and attend the signing ceremony of a deals and memorandums of understanding (MoUs).
The PM will attend the official lunch to be hosted by Vladimir Putin.
Chairperson of the Council of the Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Valentina I Matvienko and Minister for Communication and Mass Media of the Russian Federation Nikolay Nikiforov will call on Hasina.
Sergey Kirienko, General Director of ROSATOM, the state atomic energy corporation of the Russian Federation, will also meet the PM.
The PM will place wreaths at the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers in Moscow and visit famous Kremlin Museum and Bolshoi Theatre.
She will also visit the facilities of Gazprom, one of the biggest oil and gas exploration companies in the world.
Hasina will also visit the prestigious Moscow State University and deliver a speech on "Contemporary Bangladesh- perspectives for collaboration with Russia".
She is scheduled to return home Thursday morning.
BBN/SSR/AD-14Jan13-11:15 pm (BST)
