PM leaves for Amsterdam

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for Amsterdam this morning on a three-day official visit to the Netherlands at the invitation of her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte.

A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage members took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 8:15am.

The flight is expected to touch Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Centre in the Dutch capital at 9:00pm (The Netherlands time).

On her way to Amsterdam, the premier will make a five-hour stopover in Abu Dhabi.

After a reception at the Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Centre, the prime minister will be taken to Grand Hotel Amrath Kurhaus in The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands.

She would stay in the hotel during her visit.

The prime minister will hold bilateral talks with Dutch Premier Mark Rutte at his official residence "Catshuis" on November 4.

The talks would be followed by signing of bilateral instruments.

Later, Sheikh Hasina will join a dinner to be hosted in her honour by Mark Rutte.

On November 4, the prime minister will call on Queen Maxima of the Netherlands at the Royal Palace.

Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation Lilianne Ploumen and Minister of Infrastructure and Environment Melanie Schultz will call on the prime minister at the Kurhaus Hotel.

Sheikh Hasina will take part in a discussion on "Delta Plan 2100" with the Dutch ministers and join a lunch the same day.

On November 5, the prime minister will attend a business seminar at the Kurhaus Hotel.

She will visit Koornstra & Co that trades fruits and vegetables from selected growers and importers all year-round and Tomatoworld, a greenhouse that produces 50 varieties of tomatoes.

She will also attend a community reception in the Netherlands at the Kurhaus Hotel.

The prime minister will depart from Amsterdam for home on the night of November 5.

She is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 9:00pm on November 6 via Abu Dhabi.

Members of the cabinet, including Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, prime minister's media adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, Chief Whip ASM Firoz, Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and high civil and military officials saw the prime minister off at the airport.