Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has left here for Kunming on a six-day official visit to China at the invitation of her Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang on Friday morning.
A VVIP flight of Bangladesh Biman carrying the Prime Minister and members of her entourage departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) for Kunming around 7:35am, reports BSS.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam and Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, among the others, were present at the airport to see the prime minister off.
Besides, Cabinet Secretary Mushrraf Hossain Bhuiyan, the chiefs of three services, the Chinese ambassador in Dhaka and high civil and military officials were also present.
The flight is scheduled to land at Kunming Changshui International Airport at 11.30am local time (9.30 am BST).
Bangladesh Ambassador to China Azizul Haque and representatives of the Chinese government will receive the Prime Minister at the airport.
From the airport, Sheikh Hasina will be taken to Green Lake Hotel, where she will reside during her stay in Kunming.
Official talks between the premiers of Bangladesh and China will be held at Great Hall of People in Beijing on June 9. She will also sign a joint communiqué with Li Keqiang after the talks, official sources said.
A welcome ceremony will be arranged in her honour at the Great Hall of People where she will be given a Guard of Honour. Sheikh Hasina will attend a banquet to be hosted by Li Keqiang.
On the first leg of her visit, the Prime Minister will go to Kunming and from there she will head for Chinese capital Beijing on Sunday.
Sheikh Hasina will attend the inaugural ceremony of the 2nd China-South Asia Expo in Kunming and attend a banquet to be hosted by Li Jiheng, governor of Yunan province, today.
She will attend as a keynote speaker in the 9th China-South Asia Business Forum on June 7. Later, she will visit the Stone Forest. In the evening, governor of Yunan province along with his predecessor will pay a courtesy call on her at her hotel suite.
In Beijing, she will place a wreath at the Monument of the People's Heroes on June 8. She will also visit Beijing Chaoyang Theater and Acrobatic World.
On June 9, the Prime Minister will deliver a keynote speech at a seminar at China Institute of International Studies (CIIS). She will address Bangladesh China Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum in Beijing on June 10.
She will call on President of China XI Jinping and hold a meeting with Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, at the Great Hall of People.
During the visit, Sheikh Hasina will give interviews with CCTV, Phonix TV, Yunan TV and Bangla Department of China Radio International. She will also attend a cultural performance by students of Bangla Department of Communication University, China.
The Prime Minister will return home on June 11 via Hong Kong.
Foreign Ministry sources said Chinese support to build the Sonadia deep seaport will get priority in the Prime Minister level-talks during Sheikh Hasina's visit to China.
Besides, Bangladesh will seek Chinese assistance for implementing its six mega projects -- 1320 MW coal- fired power plant at Kalapara upazila in Patuakhali, National ICT Information Network for Bangladesh Government Phase-3, Rajshahi WASA water treatment plant, construction of multi-lane based tunnel under the Karnaphuli river, second rail and road bridge on Karnaphuli river at Kalurghat in Chittagong and construction of Chittagong- Ramu-Cox's Bazar and Ramu-Gundhum dual gauge rail tracks.
Officials said the main objective of the visit is to discuss with the new Chinese leadership different issues to protect Bangladesh's interests at bilateral, regional and international forums, and strengthen the bilateral ties between the two countries.
A 70-member business delegation is accompanying Sheikh Hasina during her visit to China.
The next year will be the 40 years of diplomatic ties of Bangladesh with China. In this respect, officials said, the Prime Minister's China visit would play a significant role in strengthening the relations.
