PM reaches London

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reached London yesterday evening from New York en route home after winding up her eight-day official visit to the United States to attend the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

A British Airways flight carrying the prime minister and members of her entourage landed at the Heathrow International Airport in the British capital at about 8:10pm (London time), PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told BSS over phone.

Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Md Abdul Hannan received the prime minister at the airport.

From the airport, Sheikh Hasina was taken to Hotel Claridge's where she will be staying during her brief tour to London.

The prime minister will be accorded a community reception at a London hotel this afternoon.

She will leave London for home by a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight at around 8:35pm (London time). The prime minister is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 1:30pm (BST) tomorrow after a short stopover at Sylhet Osmani International Airport.

During her stay in New York, Sheikh Hasina delivered her country statement in the general debate of the 70th session of the UNGA on September 30.

The prime minister received the prestigious "Champions of the Earth Award" from Executive Director of UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Achim Steiner on September 27.

Sheikh Hasina also received the "ICT Sustainable Development Award" from International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Secretary General Houlinzhao on September 26.

The prime minister along with other heads of state and government attended the opening session of the 70th UN General Assembly on September 28.

On the day, Sheikh Hasina joined a reception hosted by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as a luncheon arranged in honour of the heads of state and government attending the assembly.

Apart from attending the general debate of the UNGA, the prime minister attended a number of events.

The prime minister held bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the Netherlands Queen Maxima.

Besides, Sheikh Hasina addressed a press conference at the Bangladesh Permanent Mission in New York.

Earlier on September 24, the Bangladesh Premier arrived in New York via London to attend the 70th session of the UNGA.