Dhaka Bureau: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to Thailand on Wednesday (April 24) on a five-day visit. During his visit, five agreements and memoranda of understanding on various issues, including defense cooperation, are expected to be signed between the two countries.
Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud gave this information in a press conference at noon on Monday, April 22. This press conference was organized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Thailand.
The foreign minister said that an agreement, three memoranda of understanding, and a memorandum of understanding will be signed between the two countries during the visit. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hold a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of the country during the visit. Before that, he will attend the session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNSCAP).
This is the first bilateral visit of a Prime Minister of Bangladesh to Thailand after the establishment of diplomatic relations. Thailand recognized Bangladesh as an independent state in October 1972.
Earlier, the foreign ministries of the two countries issued a joint statement on the occasion of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit. In the statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, it is said that this will be the first visit to Thailand by the head of government of Bangladesh after the establishment of diplomatic relations. The visit is significant for both Bangladesh and Thailand in the context of opening a ‘new window of cooperation’ between the two friendly countries.
According to several senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hold a summit meeting with Thai Prime Minister Shretha Thavisin at the Government House in Bangkok on April 26. After the summit, the two countries are expected to sign MoUs on defense, energy cooperation, cooperation in the tourism sector, mutual cooperation on customs, visa exemption agreements for government passport holders, and MoUs on free trade.
It is known that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is going to Bangkok on this bilateral visit at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Shretha Thavisin. He will attend the 80th session of UNSCUP before the meeting of the two top leaders. On April 25, he will give a speech at the UNSC session. On the same day, UN Under Secretary and Escap Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alishabana will pay a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also meet King Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida at the Royal Palace of Thailand during this five-day visit.
Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Posts, Telecommunication, and Information Technology Junaid Ahmed, and State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam are scheduled to go to Thailand as the tour companions of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
