Indian President Ram Nath Kovind has arrived in Dhaka for a three-day visit to attend the celebrations marking the golden jubilee of Bangladesh's victory in its Liberation War and the closing of Mujib Year.
The president arrived at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:10 am on Wednesday aboard Air India flight AI1 and was welcomed by his Bangladesh counterpart, President Md Abdul Hamid, reports bdnews24.com.
Kovind was accompanied by his wife and daughter, India’s education minister, two members of parliament and the secretary of foreign affairs.
It is the Indian president’s first ever trip to Bangladesh, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said.
Kovind is scheduled to travel to the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar.
He will then visit the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum on Dhanmondi Road 32 to pay respect to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Momen said.
After a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the afternoon at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, he will later meet Hamid at the Bangabhaban in the evening.
The Indian president will present Hamid with a T-55 tank and a Mig-29 fighter jet used during the Liberation War to showcase at the National Museum.
On December 16, Kovind will appear at the National Parade Ground as a guest of honour during a special arrangement to commemorate Bangladesh's 50th Victory Day. In the afternoon, he is scheduled to take part in another ceremony at the National Parliament’s South Plaza.
On the final day of his trip, Kovind will visit the Ramna Kali Temple in the morning and inaugurate the recently renovated portion of the temple.
Following a short dialogue with the temple committee members there, Kovind will return to Delhi in the afternoon.
Highlighting Kovind's visit and that of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this year, Momen said, “The president and the prime minister of a country touring a neighbouring country the same year is rare in history. The trips are a reflection of the existing friendship between the two countries.”
