Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to make a state visit to Bangladesh from March 19-20, on an invitation extended by the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina.
The visit will coincide with the celebration of the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health has granted approval to undertake the state visit to Bangladesh as a BioSecure Travel Bubble adhering to strict COVID-19 preventive measures, the Media Unit of the Prime Minister stated.
Prime Minister Rajapaksa will be delivering a speech Friday (19) evening at the event to mark the conclusion of the “Mujib Year,” declared to celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Bangladesh’s independence.
During the visit, Prime Minister Rajapaksa will hold high-level bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, President of Bangladesh Mohammad Abdul Hamid, the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, and the Governor of the Bangladesh Bank.
The special invitation and the high-level bilateral discussions are expected to enhance the strong relations the two countries have enjoyed for a very long time. Bilateral discussions will touch upon a variety of sectors including agriculture, trade, and investment, defense, maritime connectivity, education, health, and tourism, among others.
The visit will also see the two countries sign a number of Memoranda of Understanding in various sectors such as agriculture, technical education, health, and cultural cooperation.
Among other engagements, Prime Minister Rajapaksa will visit the National Martyrs’ Memorial where he will lay a wreath to pay his respects to those who died in the Bangladesh War of Independence and plant a sapling. Later, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister will also visit the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum.
Bangladesh became a nation in 1971 and established formal diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka the following year. Both countries will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2022.