6-Day Maldives Visit: Red carpet rolled out for Hasina

Maldives yesterday rolled out the red carpet to welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina when she reached there on her maiden six-day bilateral visit at the invitation of the county's President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

Maldivian state minister for foreign affairs received the PM after she landed around 3:00pm local time and a static guard of honour was given to her.

Later, she was escorted in a ceremonial motorcade to where she would be staying.Hasina will be formally received by Maldivian President Solih today and a guard of honour and other ceremonies will be accorded to the Bangladesh's head of the government.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque and Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmad are accompanying the prime minister.

Four instruments, including two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), are likely to be signed today.

The four instruments are -- agreement on avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income; agreement on the transfer of prisoners; MoU in the areas of healthcare and medical science between Bangladesh and the Maldives (renewal); and MoU between Bangladesh and the Maldives on cooperation in the area of youth and sports development.

Besides, the MoU on recruitment of qualified health professionals between the countries will be renewed.

During the visit, Bangladesh will gift 13 military vehicles to the Maldives as a token of friendship between the two nations.

On the second day of her visit today, the Bangladeshi premier will have a bilateral meeting with the Maldivian president to discuss various issues at the Presidential Palace.

After the meeting, officials of the two countries will sign the instruments in the presence of the Bangladesh prime minister and the Maldivian president.

A joint statement will be issued when the two leaders jointly appear in front of the media.

Maldivian Vice-President Faisal Naseem, Speaker of the People's Majlis, Maldivian National Parliament, Mohammed Nasheed and Chief Justice Uz Ahmed Muthasim Adnan are expected to pay courtesy calls on the Bangladesh premier at the meeting room of Hotel Jen in Male.

The prime minister will address the Maldives parliament in the afternoon.

In the evening, Hasina is scheduled to attend a state banquet to be hosted by the Maldivian president and the country's first lady in the PM's honour.

Tomorrow, she will join a virtual community reception to be accorded by the Bangladeshi expatriates in Male.

The premier is scheduled to return home on December 27.