President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta was accorded a red carpet reception on his arrival here on Saturday night on a three-day official visit. Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus received President Ramos-Horta at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on his arrival around 10:40pm, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told UNB. He was given state salute and guard of honour by a smartly turned out contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces. A warm welcome awaits Timor-Leste President in Dhaka tonight He inspected the guard of honour, while the national anthems of the countries were played. President Ramos-Horta is accompanied by a 19-member delegation, including Timor-Leste’s Foreign Minister. Key Meetings and Agreements During his stay in Dhaka, the President will engage in a series of high-level meetings and events aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. On the second day of his visit, December 15, Ramos-Horta will meet Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain in the morning. Later, he will hold discussions with Chief Adviser Dr Yunus, followed by a delegation-level meeting. After the meeting, a joint press conference will be held, during which the two countries are expected to sign agreements on visa exemption and a memorandum of understanding for Foreign Office Consultations (FOC). In the afternoon, Ramos-Horta will meet honorary consul of Timor-Leste in Bangladesh, Kutubuddin Ahmed, and Bangladesh Football Federation President and BNP leader, Tabith Awal. Participation in Victory Day Celebrations On the third day, December 16, Ramos-Horta will call on the President of Bangladesh at Bangabhaban. He will also visit the National Martyrs’ Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the heroes of Bangladesh’s Liberation War. The President will attend the 54th Victory Day celebrations, marking Bangladesh’s historic victory in 1971. Address to the Youth and Departure On his final day, December 17, the Timor-Leste President will deliver a lecture at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) auditorium on “The Challenges of Peace in the Contemporary World”. Victory President of Timor-Leste to visit Bangladesh He is expected to interact with Bangladeshi students and young leaders, sharing his experiences of leading his country’s independence movement, the role of the people, and the post-independence aspirations of Timor-Leste. President Ramos-Horta will leave Dhaka later in the day, concluding his visit aimed at fostering diplomatic and cultural relations between Bangladesh and Timor-Leste.

Indian President Ram Nath Kovind will attend the Victory Day celebrations here on December 16 apart from his other key engagements. President Kovind will be visiting Bangladesh at the invitation of his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen confirmed the Indian President’s visit to Bangladesh. Bangladesh is also expecting a high-level participation from Bhutan. Read: Veteran politician Sharad Pawar ruling BJP's choice for next Indian President? This will be the first visit by the 14th president of India to Bangladesh. He was sworn in on July 25, 2017. Bangladesh is celebrating the Golden Jubilee of its Independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The two countries also decided to commemorate December 6 as Maitri Diwas (Friendship Day), the day when India recognized Bangladesh in 1971. Bangladesh and India are working together eyeing two mega events next month - Maitri Diwas and Victory Day of Bangladesh - on December 6 and December 16 respectively with exchange of high-level visits, officials said. Read: Hasina’s care packages of sweet mango reach Indian President, PM On March 26 to 27, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a state visit to Bangladesh to join the celebrations of the Golden Jubilee of the Independence of Bangladesh, the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh. The visit symbolized the partnership of half a century between Bangladesh and India that has strengthened, matured and evolved as a model for bilateral relations for the entire region, both sides recognized.

There will be no military parade on the Victory Day this year due to Coronavirus pandemic.