Abe invites Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been formally invited to the Outreach Meeting of the G7 nations, a grouping of seven advanced economies, to be held in Japan in May.

"Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe has extended the invitation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to join the event," PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told BSS yesterday.

He said the meeting would be held in the central Japanese city of Ise-Shima in Mie Prefecture. Except Bangladesh, six other developing countries -- Lao PDR, Vietnam, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, and Chad -- are expected to take part in it.

The Outreach Meeting will be held as part of the G7 summit slated for May 26-27.

Members of G7 nations are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, while the European Union is also represented within the G7.

The agenda for this year's summit will likely focus on maritime security, anti-terror measures, and the refugee crisis.

According to Japanese Jiji Press, leaders of the seven developing nations, including Bangladesh, are expected to discuss development-related issues in the Outreach Meeting.

It said they were likely to hold talks with the heads of the G7 nations and the European Union during the event.

The UN secretary general and presidents of the World Bank, ADB and IMF are also set to participate in the meeting.