PM leaves Dhaka for UK to join COP26 summit

Staff Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left here for the United Kingdom and France this morning on a two-week visit to attend the COP26 world leaders’ summit and other events.
“A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage members departed the Hazrat Shajalal International Airport at 9:27am today,” PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque,
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, chiefs of the three services and diplomats of the foreign missions in Dhaka saw the prime minister off at the airport.
The flight is scheduled to reach Prestwick Airport in Glasgow at 2:45pm (local time) yesterday.
During her stay in Glasgow, on November 1 morning, the prime minister will attend a side event titled “CFV-Commonwealth High level Panel Discussion on Climate Prosperity Partnership” at the Commonwealth pavilion in Scottish Event Campus.
The premier will hold a meeting with Commonwealth General Secretary Patricia Scotland QC. She will attend the inaugural ceremony of the COP26 and will address the programme at the same venue.
Sheikh Hasina will also hold a bilateral meeting with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The premier will attend the meeting of the leaders titled “Action and solidarity-the Critical Decade” at British Pavilion.
In the afternoon on the same day, Bill Gates, the founder of the Bill and Melinda Gates will pay a courtesy call on Sheikh Hasina.
The premier will attend a VVIP reception of COP26.
In the evening, Sheikh Hasina will virtually attend a civic reception to be accorded by Bangladeshi community living in Scotland.
In the morning on November 2, the prime minister will attend a high level panel on “Women and Climate Change” at the COP26 venue.
Sheikh Hasina will hold meeting with first minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon at the bilateral meeting booth.
She will later attend the Commonwealth Reception.
In the afternoon, Prince Charles will pay a courtesy call on Sheikh Hasina.
The premier will hold a bilateral meeting with the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson at UK meeting room.
She will also call on Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison at bilateral meeting booth.
Sheikh Hasina will attend a side event titled “Forging a CVF COP26 Climate Emergency Pact” at meeting Room-4 of the ground floor.
The premier will attend the closing ceremony of the World Leaders Summit.
In the evening, Sheikh Hasina will attend a programme at the Scottish Parliament to be hosted by speaker of the parliament Alison Johnstone.
She will address a programme on “Bangladesh Vision for Global climate prosperity” at the Scottish Parliament.
On November 3, the prime minister and her entourage members will leave Glasgow for London by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at noon.
On that day, Speaker of the British Parliament Sir Lindsay Hoyle will pay a courtesy call on Sheikh Hasina.
The premier will attend some important events there including “Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnership”, and a civic reception of Bangladesh community living in London.
On November 9, she and her entourage members will leave London for Paris by a VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines in the morning.
Sheikh Hasina will call on president of France Emmanuel Macron at Elyse Palace on that day.
On the same day, she will also hold a bilateral meeting with France Prime Minister Jean Castex at his official residence of France, Matignon.
The prime minister will also attend some important events there including the prize giving ceremony of the “UNESCO-Bangladesh, and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Prize for the Creative Economy” at UNESCO Headquarters and 75th anniversary of the UNESCO at the same venue.
Sheikh Hasina will virtually attend a civic reception of Bangladesh community living in France on November 13.
She is expected to leave Paris for Dhaka on November 13 and reach Dhaka on November 14.