PM Leaves For Brussels

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Belgium Tuesday (October 24) to attend the "Global Gateway Forum" to be held in its capital Brussels on October 25-26 at the invitation of the European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen.

A commercial flight (BG 207) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage members departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), Dhaka at 11:12 am.

The flight is scheduled to arrive at the Brussels Zaventem Airport at 18:45 hrs on October 24 (Brussels time).

During the visit, the prime minister will have a number of meetings with leaders of European countries on the sidelines of the Forum.

In the morning on October 25, she will have a bilateral meeting with Executive Vice President of the EC and European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.

The Bangladesh premier will also hold a bilateral meeting with the EC President Ursula von der Leyen.

After this bilateral meeting, a loan support agreement of 350 million Euros on the renewable energy sector will be signed between the Bangladesh government's Economic Relations Department (ERD) and European Investment Bank.

 A grant agreement of 45 million Euros for Bangladesh's renewable energy sector will be signed between the European Commission and European Investment Bank.

And a 12 million Euros grant agreement between the Bangladesh government and European Commission will also be signed for Bangladesh's renewable energy sector.

During this visit, the Bangladesh government and EC will sign five different grant agreements of 70 million Euros on Bangladesh's Social sectors.

On the same day, Sheikh Hasina will attend the Global Gateway Forum's opening plenary session and deliver her speech.

In the afternoon, European Investment Bank President Dr. Werner Hoyer will hold a meeting with the premier.

EC Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic and EC Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen will pay a courtesy call on the Bangladesh premier.

In the evening, the prime minister will attend a dinner hosted by Ursula von der Leyen in honor of the heads of state and government participating in the Global Gateway Forum.

On October 26, she will hold a bilateral meeting with her Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo.

The prime minister will also have a bilateral meeting with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel.

In the afternoon on the same day, Sheikh Hasina will attend a reception accorded to her by Bangladeshi expatriates living in Belgium.

TV channel EURONEWS and POLITICO are scheduled to take interview of the prime minister.

She is scheduled to return Dhaka on October 27._BSS