Dhaka – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves here for Myanmar on Monday morning on a two-day visit to attend the third summit of the Bimstec (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).
Myanmar is hosting the summit in its capital city of Nay Pyi Taw after a six-year break that began on Saturday and it will continue till Tuesday.
The Prime Minister will lead the 32-member Bangladesh delegation to the Summit. This is will be her first visit abroad since the formation of her government for the third time on January 12 last.A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage will depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday at 8:00 am.
On her arrival at the Nay Pyi Taw international airport, Hasina will be received by a Union Minister of Myanmar and Bangladesh Ambassador to Myanmar Maj Gen (retd) Anup Kumar Chakma.
Later, she will be taken in a ceremonial motorcade to Royal Nay Pyi Taw Hotel where she will be staying during the two-day tour.
On the same day, the Prime Minister will meet Myanmar President Thein Sein at the Presidential Palace, national parliament Speaker Shwe Mann at Parliament. She will also meet National League for Democracy chairman Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Later, Hasina will attend a gala dinner to be hosted by Myanmar President Thein Sein at the Myanmar International Convention Center II (MICCII).
On Tuesday, Hasina will arrive at the Myanmar International Conference Center where she will be received by Myanmar President Thein Sein.
She will then join a group photo session and the opening ceremony where Myanmar President Thein Sein will deliver the address of welcome. A short video clip will be screened on the occasion which will be followed by a cultural programme.
The Prime Minister will witness the signing of MoAs, MoUs, proceed with the 3rd summit, attend the closing of the summit followed by a joint press conference for the heads of state and government.
Hasina may also have some bilateral meetings at the Conference Center and at her place of residence before leaving for Nay Pyi Taw international airport on Tuesday evening.
On the sidelines of the Summit, she will hold bilateral meetings with her counterparts of the Bimstec member-countries, including from India, Myanmar, Nepal and Bhutan, said a Foreign Ministry media release here.
Three instruments — Memorandum of Association (MoA) on the Establishment of Bimstec Permanent Secretariat in Dhaka, Memorandum of Association (MoA) on the Establishment of Bimstec Centre for Weather and Climate in India and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Bimstec Culture Industries Commission and Bimstec Cultural Industries Observatory to be set up in Bhutan – are expected to be signed during the summit, the release added.
Following the Summit, the Bimstec Permanent Secretariat is expected to be functional in Dhaka.
The government has already allotted a site in Dhaka for the Secretariat. It has been decided that the first Secretary General of Bimstec will be from Sri Lanka.
Prior to the Summit, Bimstec ministerial meeting will be held on Monday. State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam will lead the Bangladesh delegation to the ministerial meeting.
Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque will lead the Bangladesh delegation to the senior officials’ meeting to be held on Sunday.
The seven-nation regional bloc for multi-level cooperation could not organise the third summit in the past six years for various reasons including election and scheduling issues. The second summit was held in New Delhi, India in 2008 after four years of the first one in Bangkok, Thailand in 2004.
Established in 1997 in the capital city of Thailand, the regional bloc identified 14 areas of cooperation including trade and investment, technology, energy, transport and communication, tourism, fisheries, agriculture, cultural cooperation, environment and disaster management, public health, poverty alleviation, counter- terrorism and transnational crime and climate change.
At the third meeting, heads of state and government will focus on achieving visible headway in the priority areas by establishing bi-lateral and multi-lateral cooperation.
According to the Bimstec secretariat, a number of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) is expected to be signed at the summit.
Among the sectors to be covered by the MoUs that have been finalised are energy, agriculture and tourism.
The theme of the 3rd Bimstec Summit is ‘Partnership for Harmony and Prosperity’ which could serve as modus operandi in accelerating the economic growth and social progress in the sub-region through joint endeavours in a spirit of equality and partnership.
Besides the MoUs, agreement on a Cultural Industries Commission to be set up in Thimpu, Kathmandu would be discussed at the summit. There will also have discussions on strengthening cooperation among media of the seven countries, which would help foster the regional cooperation further.
Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand are the members of the group. – UNB
