Red carpet welcome to Manmohan
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was given a red carpet welcome on his arrival at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here yesterday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the Indian premier and his wife Gursharan Kaur when they alighted from a special aircraft at 12:05 pm, while two children presented bouquets to them.
A 19-gun salute heralded the arrival of Manmohan. Later, he was given a guard of honour by a smartly turned out contingent drawn from three services of the armed forces.
The Indian premier is leading a 136-member official delegation during his two-day state visit.
The delegation includes the chief ministers of Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar Menon, Media Adviser Harish Khare, Principal Secretary to PM TKA Nair; Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, a 49-member security team and a 42-member media team.
Hasina introduced her cabinet colleagues and other dignitaries to the Indian premier at the airport.
Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Asharful Islam, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Ambassador at-Large M Ziauddin, PM's advisors, chiefs of three services, the dean of the diplomatic corps, high civil and military officials, among others, were present.
After a warm welcome at the airport, Manmohan started for National Mausoleum in Savar and paid rich tributes to the Liberation War martyrs by laying wreaths there.
“I pay homage to all the brave heroes whose fearless struggle and sacrifice led to the birth of a great nation, Bangladesh,” Manmohan wrote in the visitors’ book at the memorial. He also planted a sapling there.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments