Bangladesh well-represented by people of all faiths: PM
Monday, 5 November 2012
Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina Sunday left Hanoi for Laos to attend the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting of Heads of State and Government, reports UNB received Sunday.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage, took off from the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and is scheduled to reach Wattay International Airport.
In Laos, she will join the summit's opening ceremony at the National Convention Centre today (Monday). She is set to attend the plenary and concluding sessions of the summit the next day.
The summit of the 48-nation forum will be held this year with the theme: "Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity" aiming to promote mutual understanding, peace, stability, development and prosperity of Asia and Europe.
On November 7, Sheikh Hasina will hold official talks with Laotian Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong at the Prime Minister's Office and make a courtesy call on President Choummaly Sayasone at the Presidential Palace.
She will join a luncheon to be hosted in her honour by the Laotian prime minister at Lao Plaza Hotel before leaving for home.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam Ho Xuan Son saw her off at the airport.
She arrived in Hanoi Friday on a three-day bilateral visit to Vietnam. During her visit, Bangladesh and Vietnam signed four agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the fields of fisheries, livestock, agriculture and trade.
Sheikh Hasina and her Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung witnessed the signing of the deals at the Prime Minister's Office.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told Vietnamese Buddhist monks Sunday that religious harmony prevails in Bangladesh and its government and political parties are well-represented by the people of all religions.
The Prime Minister said this when she visited Bai Dinh Pagoda, the historic Buddhist pagoda at Ninh Binh city of Vietnam, on the concluding day of her three-day visit.
On her arrival at the Bai Dinh pagoda, about 100 kilometres off capital Hanoi, the Prime Minister was received by Bui Van Nam, the secretary of the provincial committee of the Communist Party, Bui Van Thang, chairman of Ninh Binh provincial people's committee, and Thich Thanth Nhicee, the chief of the Bai Dinh Pagoda.
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina was given a warm welcome by the people living around the Pagoda.
Talking to the leaders and monks of the Pagoda, Sheikh Hasina highlighted the unique features of Bangladesh's religious harmony and the coexistence of the people of all faiths.
The Prime Minister also invited the Buddhist monks and political party leaders, including the Pagoda chief, to join Buddhists' International Conference in Dhaka slated for November 9, 2012.
The Prime Minister visited the Pagoda with her entourage and planted a Bo De tree on the Pagoda compound and praised the valour and courage of the people of Vietnam to liberate their country from the colonial rule.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by Buddhist monks from Bangladesh Satyananda Priya Mohathero and Buddhist community leader and member of Awami League advisory council Pranab Barua, stayed for about half an hour in the Pagoda.
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Ambassador at-Large M Ziauddin, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Bangladesh Ambassador to Vietnam Supradip Chakma were present, among others, during the visit.
Bai Dinh Pagoda, situated in the mountainous Bai Dinh district, is one of the most important tourist attractions in Vietnam. The government recognised the Bai Dinh Mountain as a cultural and historical heritage of Vietnam in 1997.
A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage, took off from the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi and is scheduled to reach Wattay International Airport.
In Laos, she will join the summit's opening ceremony at the National Convention Centre today (Monday). She is set to attend the plenary and concluding sessions of the summit the next day.
The summit of the 48-nation forum will be held this year with the theme: "Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity" aiming to promote mutual understanding, peace, stability, development and prosperity of Asia and Europe.
On November 7, Sheikh Hasina will hold official talks with Laotian Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong at the Prime Minister's Office and make a courtesy call on President Choummaly Sayasone at the Presidential Palace.
She will join a luncheon to be hosted in her honour by the Laotian prime minister at Lao Plaza Hotel before leaving for home.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Vietnam Ho Xuan Son saw her off at the airport.
She arrived in Hanoi Friday on a three-day bilateral visit to Vietnam. During her visit, Bangladesh and Vietnam signed four agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the fields of fisheries, livestock, agriculture and trade.
Sheikh Hasina and her Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung witnessed the signing of the deals at the Prime Minister's Office.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told Vietnamese Buddhist monks Sunday that religious harmony prevails in Bangladesh and its government and political parties are well-represented by the people of all religions.
The Prime Minister said this when she visited Bai Dinh Pagoda, the historic Buddhist pagoda at Ninh Binh city of Vietnam, on the concluding day of her three-day visit.
On her arrival at the Bai Dinh pagoda, about 100 kilometres off capital Hanoi, the Prime Minister was received by Bui Van Nam, the secretary of the provincial committee of the Communist Party, Bui Van Thang, chairman of Ninh Binh provincial people's committee, and Thich Thanth Nhicee, the chief of the Bai Dinh Pagoda.
Earlier, Sheikh Hasina was given a warm welcome by the people living around the Pagoda.
Talking to the leaders and monks of the Pagoda, Sheikh Hasina highlighted the unique features of Bangladesh's religious harmony and the coexistence of the people of all faiths.
The Prime Minister also invited the Buddhist monks and political party leaders, including the Pagoda chief, to join Buddhists' International Conference in Dhaka slated for November 9, 2012.
The Prime Minister visited the Pagoda with her entourage and planted a Bo De tree on the Pagoda compound and praised the valour and courage of the people of Vietnam to liberate their country from the colonial rule.
The Prime Minister, accompanied by Buddhist monks from Bangladesh Satyananda Priya Mohathero and Buddhist community leader and member of Awami League advisory council Pranab Barua, stayed for about half an hour in the Pagoda.
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Ambassador at-Large M Ziauddin, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad, Bangladesh Ambassador to Vietnam Supradip Chakma were present, among others, during the visit.
Bai Dinh Pagoda, situated in the mountainous Bai Dinh district, is one of the most important tourist attractions in Vietnam. The government recognised the Bai Dinh Mountain as a cultural and historical heritage of Vietnam in 1997.