Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina embarks today on a tri-nation tour of Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, on an open agenda that focuses trade and economic cooperation with these developed countries.
On the first leg, she is scheduled to reach Tokyo today (Tuesday) for a four-day visit, and from there she would fly to Washington on April 29. She would leave the US capital on May 4 for London to attend the coronation of British King Charles.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen Monday briefed the press on the PM’s itinerary and the objectives of the tour—incidentally, taking place around eight months ahead of the next general election in Bangladesh.
All the three countries are among Bangladesh’s major trading partners and investors as well as development financiers.
During the Japan visit of the Bangladesh Prime Minister, the two countries may look for elevating bilateral ties to ‘strategic partnership’ from the present ‘comprehensive partnership’.
The premier would meet her Japanese counterpart on April 26 and the summit talks are likely to be capped with eight MoUs.
The accords are related to agriculture, metro rail, defence, power and energy cooperation, industrial upgradation, cyber-security, intellectual property, ship recycling, and ICT.
On April 27 she will deliver a speech as the chief guest at a meeting organised by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission, BIDA and JETRO.
In the USA, the prime minister would attend a function on May 1 to mark 50 years of partnership between Bangladesh and the World Bank.
The function will be held at the WB headquarters. A seminar will he held as part of the programme which will be followed by a multimedia presentation on development of Bangladesh.
She will also meet with the Managing Director of the IMF on April 29.
On May 2, the prime minister is scheduled to meet with the delegations of the US-Bangladesh Business Council and the US- Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce.
In the afternoon the same day, she would be interviewed by the influential news magazine The Economist.
In London, the Prime Minister would join the coronation ceremonies of King Charles to be held on May 5-6.
She is also expected to meet several ministers of the British government and the Commonwealth secretary-general during her stay in London.
Sheikh Hasina will also attend a reception to be accorded to her by the non-resident Bangladeshis in London.
Bangladeshis are the third-largest immigrant community in the UK, with around 0.8 million Bangladeshi-origin people living, the foreign minister said.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com
© 2025 - All Rights with The Financial Express
