Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Abu Dhabi on a three-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and members of her entourage took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport around 8:30am on Saturday.
Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, chiefs of three services and senior civil and military officials were present at the airport.
The flight is expected to reach Abu Dhabi International Airport around 11:30am (UAE time).
During the three-day bilateral tour, the prime minister will hold meetings with vice president and prime minister of the UAE, mother of the nation, foreign minister and senior officials, Foreign Ministry sources said.
Hasina is scheduled to hold meetings with Mother of the Nation Sheikh Fatima, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
Sheikh Hasina will also attend a reception of the Bangladeshi community in Abu Dhabi.
The prime minister will fly to Dubai on Monday to hold a meeting with vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Hasina will also visit Ras al-Khaimah (RAK) and hold a meeting with its ruler Sheikh Saud Bin Aaqr Al Quasi. She will return home on Monday night by a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Foreign Ministry sources said half a dozen agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) on trade, manpower and investment are expected to be signed between Bangladesh and the UAE during the visit.
The instruments likely to be inked include an MoU on foreign office consultation, an MoU with a UAE outsourcing company to resume manpower export, an agreement on repatriation of sentenced persons and a deal on promotion and protection of investment.
An agreement on establishing a hospital at Rangunia, Chittagong by Al-Nahyan Foundation of the UAE, an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, an MoU on cooperation on higher education and scientific research and an agreement on handing over a piece of land in Dhaka for the UAE embassy would also be signed during the visit.
