5 Lankan ministers arrive in city to receive Buddha's hair
Monday, 16 July 2007
Five Sri Lankan ministers will arrive in the city today (Monday) on a three-day visit to Bangladesh for collecting Lord Gautam Buddha's hair, kept at the Buddhist monastery in Chittagong, reports BSS.
Officials and the Buddhist community sources said, Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and four other cabinet members would arrive in the city to receive the hair from the 19th century monastery, as Bangladesh offered the gift as a gesture of goodwill.
The high-profile Lankan delegation also comprises Mass Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Cultural Affairs Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Religious Affairs and Moral Upliftment Minister Pandu Bandaranaike and Minister for Highways TB Ekanayake.
The officials said, during the three-day trip on invitation of Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, the Lankan ministers would also discuss transport connectivity, telecommunication, and trade issues with the Bangladesh authorities.
Chowdhury said, he had extended an invitation to his Sri Lankan counterpart in line with the government's policy of strengthening relations with other countries in the region. "Our friendship with Sri Lanka would get a great boost when five of their cabinet ministers visit Bangladesh," the Adviser also said. Bogollagama would hold formal talks with him.
Officials and the Buddhist community sources said, Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and four other cabinet members would arrive in the city to receive the hair from the 19th century monastery, as Bangladesh offered the gift as a gesture of goodwill.
The high-profile Lankan delegation also comprises Mass Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Cultural Affairs Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Religious Affairs and Moral Upliftment Minister Pandu Bandaranaike and Minister for Highways TB Ekanayake.
The officials said, during the three-day trip on invitation of Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, the Lankan ministers would also discuss transport connectivity, telecommunication, and trade issues with the Bangladesh authorities.
Chowdhury said, he had extended an invitation to his Sri Lankan counterpart in line with the government's policy of strengthening relations with other countries in the region. "Our friendship with Sri Lanka would get a great boost when five of their cabinet ministers visit Bangladesh," the Adviser also said. Bogollagama would hold formal talks with him.