Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, now on a two-day state visit, on Saturday paid homage to the martyrs of Bangladesh’s Great Liberation War at the Savar National Mausoleum.

He stood silently for a while. A smart group of the three services gave the national salute and the bugle was played.

Liberation War Affairs Adviser Farooq-e Azam, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin, CHT Affairs Adviser Supradeep Chakma and Secretary to the Ministry of Public Works Md. Nazrul Islam were present.

Bangladesh to roll out red carpet to welcome Bhutanese PM Saturday

Later, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay signed the visitors' book there.

He planted a Bakul tree sapling on the memorial premises.

Bangladesh rolled out a red carpet for Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, who arrived in Dhaka for a two-day state visit.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus received him after a Drukair flight carrying the Bhutanese leader landed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the morning, Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB.

The two leaders held a brief meeting at the airport’s VIP lounge, where Prime Minister Tobgay inquired about the damages and loss of lives caused by Friday’s earthquake and expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.

Following the meeting, Tobgay was escorted to a makeshift saluting dais, where he was accorded a 19-gun salute and a guard of honor.

After the airport ceremony, the Bhutanese Prime Minister departed for the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the martyrs of Bangladesh’s Liberation War.

Foreign Adviser and Commerce Adviser are expected to meet the Bhutanese leader in the afternoon before he holds a tête-à-tête with Chief Adviser prof Yunus at his office in the Tejgaon area around 3:00pm.

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The Prime Minister will hold a private meeting with Prof Yunus, followed by a delegation-level bilateral meeting between the two countries.

The meeting will discuss various areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade and investment, communication, education, agriculture, health, energy and power, telecommunications, tourism, culture, youth and sports, and industry, officials said.

Following the talks, three MoUs are likely to be signed with Bhutan on international internet bandwidth, recruitment of specialist doctors and health workers in Bhutan, and agricultural cooperation.

The Bhutanese Prime Minister will also attend a state dinner to be hosted in his honor..