Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah has arrived in Bangladesh on a 3-day state visit. President M Abdul Hamid along with some senior ministers and high civil and military officials accorded a warm welcome to the Sultan of Brunei.
Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah is accompanied by the royal family members, ministers of various ministries of Brunei and high-level government officials.
Sultan Waddaulah is on his maiden tour to Dhaka at the invitation of the Bangladesh President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Personnel drawn from Bangladesh army, navy and air force offered him a guard of honor as part of the welcome ceremony at the airport, from where he was escorted to the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar on the outskirts of the capital in a motorcade.
Later, the Brunei Sultan is scheduled to place wreaths in memory of Bangladesh’s nine-month-long 1971 Liberation War martyrs at the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar, plant a sapling and sign the “Visitors’ Book” there.
The Sultan of Brunei and members of his entourage are scheduled to stay at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka.
In the afternoon, Foreign Minister Dr Abul Kalam Abdul Momen will meet him.
The Sultan will hold a meeting with President Abdul Hamid at the Credential Hall of Bangabhaban at 7.00 pm today.
Later, he will sign a “Visitors’ Book” at Gallery Hall of the Presidential palace.
The Head of the State will host a state banquet and cultural function in honor of the Sultan at Banquet Hall (Durbar Hall) at 7.35 pm.
On October 16, Sultan Waddaulah will visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi here to pay homage to Bangladesh’s founding Father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and will also sign a “Visitors’ Book” there. Family members of the Father of the Nation will receive the Sultan on the museum premises.
Bangladesh premier will receive Brunei Sultan at Tiger Gate of the Prime Minister’s Office on October 16.
Brunei Sultan will hold restricted-level talks (tete-e-tete) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Prime Minister’s Office.
Later, a delegation-level talk with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be held.
Apart from the Sultan’s other engagements during the visit, the Bangabhaban spokesman said, the three-day visit have special significance as some Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or agreements will be signed between Bangladesh and Brunei.
The MoUs and agreements include on bilateral aviation agreement, Bangladeshi manpower recruitment cooperation and the recognition of Mariners’ certificates by the two countries.
Brunei Sultan will leave Dhaka on October 17.
