Brunei Darussalam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah arrived in Dhaka on Saturday on a three-day visit to talk on various bilateral issues, including enhancing mutual cooperation between the two countries.
President M Abdul Hamid along with senior ministers and high civil and military officials received the Sultan, as the VVIP special flight carrying him, his royal family members, ministers of different ministries of Brunei and high government officials touched down Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 2:24 pm on his visit to Bangladesh.
On his arrival a 21 gun salute was given to his honour when President Abdul Hamid welcomed him with a bouquet.
At the invitation of Bangladesh President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Brunei Sultan is making his maiden tour to Dhaka.
Later, Brunei Sultan was escorted to the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar on the outskirts of the capital in a motorcade from the airport to place a wreath at the Memorial in the memory of Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War martyrs and to sign the ‘Visitors’ Book’.
The Sultan was scheduled to stay at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka, as per schedule.
The Sultan will also visit the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhaka’s Dhanmondi 32 to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on Sunday.
Brunei Sultan will hold meetings with President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apart from other engagements during the visit. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen will also meet him during his visit.
Bangladesh and Brunei are likely to sign three bilateral cooperation documents, including an agreement for introducing direct flights between the two countries, Momen told reporters.
Two other cooperation documents will be signed on recruitment of Bangladeshi workers and recognition of certificates for two countries’ seafarers.
“We believe that the visit will be a successful and productive one,” Momen said.
About the energy cooperation with Brunei, Momen said Bangladesh is having discussions in this area and exploring all available options.
He is scheduled to return to Brunei on October 17.