PM to return home Monday ending six-day visit to Thailand

PM returns home Monday ending six-day visit to Thailand

Bangkok, Apr 28 - Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will return home on Monday from Bangkok, wrapping up her six-day official visit to Thailand.

She arrived here on Wednesday on both bilateral and multilateral visit at the invitation of her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin.

The Bangladesh premier on April 26 held bilateral talks with Thavisin at the Government House. 

The two prime ministers then witnessed the signing of five bilateral documents on visa exemption, cooperation on energy, tourism and customs matters, and negotiation of free trade agreement (FTA) between Bangladesh and Thailand.

During the official luncheon hosted by the Thai PM there, Hasina called her visit a milestone in the bilateral relations between the two countries. “This official visit will remain a milestone in our bilateral relations. It has ushered in a new era of fruitful partnership between our two countries,” she said.

Besides, the Bangladesh Prime Minister paid a courtesy call on the King and the Queen of the Kingdom of Thailand Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshan at Amphorn Satharn Throne Hall in Dusit Palace on April 25.

As part of her multilateral engagement, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the 80th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) on April 25 at the ESCAP Hall (2nd floor), United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) in Bangkok.

The five documents signed between Dhaka and Bangkok-- an agreement, three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and a Letter of Intent (LOI) – are Agreement on Visa Exemption for holders of official passports; MoU on Energy Cooperation; MoU on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters; MoU on Cooperation in the field of tourism; and LOI to commence negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by the year 2024.

On April 24, the Bangladesh PM was accorded a warm reception amid a 19-round gun salute at the Don Mueang International Airport here heralding her arrival in Bangkok.-UNB