PM to inaugurate World Cup Cricket

FE Team | Published: January 09, 2010 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, reports UNB.
Chairman of the organising committee of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Sharad Pawar Friday requested the Prime Minister to attend the inaugural ceremony of the global cricketing extravaganza.
Pawar, also a senior Indian minister and incumbent Vice President of the International Cricket Council (ICC), made the request when he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her official residence in Jamuna in the afternoon.
The Prime Minister accepted the invitation and wished success of the World Cup Cricket 2011 that would be co-hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.
During the meeting, Sharad Pawar praised the visionary and able leadership of the Prime Minister and congratulated her on the Awami League-led Grand Alliance's massive victory in the December 29 general election as well as completion of one year of her democratically elected government.
Pawar noted that Hasina had led the nation successfully to restore democracy in Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister highlighted her government's various initiatives taken for development of agriculture and achievement of national food security like in the previous tenure of Bangladesh Awami League (AL).
"Poverty is the biggest enemy of Bangladesh as well as other South Asian countries," she said, adding that since assumption of office, her government had given priority to the agricultural sector to attain food security for the people.
She also mentioned the potential of stronger cooperation between Bangladesh and India in the agricultural sector.
In this regard, Sharad Pawar, the Indian minister for Agriculture, mentioned the 'Ceres Award' Sheikh Hasina was given for outstanding success in agricultural development and attaining food security.
As sports and cultural affairs came up for discussion, Pawar lauded Hasina for her and her government's enormous interest in development of sports and culture.
"We all know how much you are enthusiastic about sports and culture," said the Indian leader.
In reply, the Prime Minister mentioned that during the first AL-led government, Bangladesh became ICC champion and attained the Test status. But, for some time later on, Bangladesh team could not play at desired level as the then government could not continue hectic efforts like the AL government.
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president AHM Mustafa Kamal MP, ambassador-at-large Ziauddin, press secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad, personal secretary to the Prime Minister Nazrul Islam Khan and Indian Deputy High Commissioner Mukta Dutta Tomar were present.
PM to go to Ajmer
Meanwhile, bdnews24.com from New Delhi adds: Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will travel to Ajmer in the Indian state of Rajasthan to offer prayers at the tomb of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chisti (R) during her visit to India beginning Sunday.
Sources in the Indian government's Ministry of External Affairs said she might travel to Ajmer on January 12, after her meetings with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, chairperson of the India's ruling Congress-led coalition United Progressive Alliance Sonia Gandhi and others on the first two days of her visit to Delhi.
India's Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee will also be present during the talks between Hasina and Singh.
Singh will host a banquet in honour of his Bangladeshi counterpart. She will also address apex organisations of Indian trade and industries in a business luncheon in New Delhi.
Hasina is likely to return to Dhaka on Jan 13.