Hamid off to India

President Md Abdul Hamid left Dhaka for New Delhi on a 6-day official visit to India on Thursday morning. The visit, the 1st India tour by a Bangladesh President after nearly 3 decades, takes place at a crucial time when the 2 countries are expecting to ratify the long-pending Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) soon to take the bilateral relations to a newer height. A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the President and his wife Rashida Khanom took off from Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport in Dhaka around 10:45am. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam has been accompanying the President. The visit is expected to deepen further the existing friendly relations and cooperation between the close-door neighbours. The Bangladesh President will hold a meeting with Indian President Pranab Mukherjee at Rashtrapati Bhaban on Friday. Later, he will join a dinner there to be hosted by the Indian President. Hamid will also hold a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to private TV channels.