Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left London on Tuesday morning for Paris to attend the 75th Anniversary of UNESCO and distribute the first-ever UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for Creative Economy.
During the Paris tour, Sheikh Hasina will also have meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron and French Prime Minister Jean Castex.
“A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage left Heathrow International Airport at 9:24am (local time),” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said.
Bangladesh Ambassador to the United Kingdom Saida Tasneem Muna saw her off at the airport.
Earlier Sheikh Hasina, also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, talked to her party leaders and activists from the expatriate community, who came to her place of residence –Claridge’s Hotel– in London to see off her, said Ihsanul Karim.
The PM told them that she could not meet all physically due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation and she would do that when the situation becomes normal.
The aircraft will land at De Gaulle International Airport at 11:15am local time, where Bangladesh Ambassador Khandaker Mohammad Talha will receive her.
Later, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be given a warm reception at Elysee Palace, the official residence of French President Emmanuel Macron, when she arrives there.
The French President would receive the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina upon her arrival at the palace.
A red carpet will be rolled out there to welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina while the Presidential guard will also give a salute to her.
Both the Bangladesh Prime Minister and the French President will have a tete-a-tete followed by witnessing the signing of MoUs/TCA/TA.
Hasina will also join a launch to be hosted by Emmanuel Macron and visit the Guard of Honor to be given by the Republican Guard at the Elysee Palace.
Later, the Prime Minister is scheduled to go to the Matignon, the official residence of the French Prime Minister.
Upon her arrival at the Matignon, French Prime Minister Jean Castex would receive and welcome her with a bouquet of flowers.
On November 10, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury and Dassault Aviation president Eric Trappier, Thales president Patrice Caine will call on her at her place of residence.
She will have a meeting with the French business organisation MEDEF’s high-profile delegate.
French Minister Florence Parly will also meet her.
Later in the afternoon, she will visit the French Senate where she will receive an official reception during the ongoing Senate Session.
On November 11, Sheikh Hasina will attend the Paris Peace Forum.
Later, she will go to attend the Unesco-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy at Unesco Headquarters. From there she will go to Elysee Palace to attend the dinner to be hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron in honour of her.
On November 12, Sheikh Hasina will go to the Paris Peace Forum and attend a high-level panel discussion on South-South and Triangular Cooperation.
Later she will go to the Unesco Headquarters to attend the inaugural session of the 75th Founding anniversary of Unesco and she will deliver her speech there.
She will participate in the dinner to be hosted by Unesco director general Audrey Azoulay in honour of the head of the governments and states.
On November 13, Sheikh Hasina will attend a civic reception to be accorded to her by the expatriate Bangladeshis living there.
At 4pm (local time), she will depart De Gaulle International Airport by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and land at Hazrat Shahjalal Airport at 10 am (local time) on November 14.
Earlier, on November 3, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in London, the capital of the United Kingdom, from Glasgow after attending the World Leaders Summit at the COP26 and other events.
On October 31, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached Glasgow on a two-week visit to the United Kingdom and France.
Source: United News of Bangladesh