Red carpet rolled out for Hasina in Tokyo
Sunday, 25 May 2014
A red carpet was rolled out as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in Tokyo on Sunday on a four-day official visit at the invitation of her Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe. A Biman flight carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage landed at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport at 1:00pm local time (10:00am BST) after a stopover at Hong Kong International Airport. Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Shiro Sadoshima and Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Masud bin Momen received Hasina at the airport while a woman presented a bouquet to her. Some Bangladeshi expatriates were also present at the airport to welcome the Bangladesh Premier. They received her chanting slogans ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’. Hasina exchanged brief pleasantries with them before getting into her car. From the airport, Hasina was taken in a ceremonial motorcade to Akasaka Palace in Tokyo where she will be staying during her visit to Japan. Chief of Protocol of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shigeyuki Hiroki welcomed the Prime Minister at Akasaka Palace. The roads and streets across Tokyo were decorated with flags of both Bangladesh and Japan marking Hasina’s visit, according to a news agency.