PM flies to London today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves Dhaka for London today en route to Bulgaria on a three-day official visit to Bulgarian capital Sofia to attend the Global Women Leaders Forum.

Apart from joining the forum, the PM will hold official talks with her Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said.

A VVIP flight (BG-005) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the premier and her entourage is scheduled to take off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:30am.

The flight is expected to reach Heathrow International Airport at 4:15pm (London time). Abdul Hannan, Bangladesh high commissioner to the UK, will receive the PM at the airport.

On May 18, she would leave London for the Bulgarian capital by a British Airways flight (BA 0890) at 8:20am (London time). The flight is scheduled to touch down at Sofia International Airport at 1:15pm (Bulgaria time).

Vezhdi Rashidov, minister of culture of Bulgaria; Vanya Kaneva, executive director of the Council of Woman in Business in Bulgaria; and Bangladesh Ambassador in Sofia Allama Siddiki will receive Hasina at the airport.

During her visit to Bulgaria, the PM will stay at Hotel Marinela Sofia. She will attend the opening ceremony of the Global Women Leaders Forum on the afternoon of May 18 at the National Art Gallery, Sofia and deliver the keynote speech as the chief guest.

During the visit, the premier will call on Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev at the Presidential Palace.

Foreign ministry sources said the two prime ministers, after the official talks on May 20, will witness signing of some agreements. They will deliver a joint press statement later.

Hasina will join a gala dinner to be hosted by Irina Bokova, the Unesco director-general, and Boriana Manolova, the CEO of Siemens Bulgaria and the chairperson of Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria, at Grand Hotel Sofia.

Tsetska Tsacheva Dangovska, president of the National Parliament of Bulgaria, will host a working luncheon in honour of the Bangladeshi leader at the hotel.

Hasina is scheduled to return home on May 21 at 6:30am (BST).