A red carpet was rolled out to welcome Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Saturday.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is now in Dhaka on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina.
A special aircraft carrying the Japanese Prime Minister, his wife and members of his entourage landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here at 12:50 pm, BSS reports.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie Abe when they alighted from the special aircraft at the VVIP Tarmac of the airport, while two tiny tots presented bouquets to them.
A smartly turned out contingent drawn from three services gave a guard of honour and state salute to Shinzo Abe. Accompanied by Sheikh Hasina, he took the salute from a decorated dais. The national anthems of the two countries were played on the occasion.
Later, the Bangladesh Prime Minister introduced her cabinet colleagues and other dignitaries to the Japanese Premier at the presentation line. The Japanese Prime Minister also introduced his entourage members to Sheikh Hasina.
The Japanese premier will stay at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel during his visit to Bangladesh.
This visit is taking place after 14 years since the then Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori of Japan visited Bangladesh in 2000.
This is the return visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in quick succession of his Bangladesh counterpart's official visit to Japan in May 2014.
Sheikh Hasina visited Japan from May 25-28 at the invitation of Shinzo Abe.
During the visit, the Bangladesh Premier had a summit meeting with Shinzo Abe on May 26, when Japan pledged to provide US$ 6 billion, equivalent to 600 billion yen, to Bangladesh for the next five years.
