PM Hasina to Depart Beijing for Dhaka Tomorrow Night.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to leave Beijing for Dhaka tomorrow night, concluding her bilateral visit to China.

A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage will depart from Beijing Capital International Airport at 10:00 PM (local time) and arrive in Dhaka at 1:00 PM (Bangladesh time) the following day, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Hasina was initially scheduled to leave Beijing on Thursday morning.

The prime minister will meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and hold a delegation-level bilateral meeting with Premier Li Qiang tomorrow.

This visit, from July 8 to 10, aims to elevate the Bangladesh-China relationship to a “comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership” from the current “strategic partnership.”

Bangladesh and China are expected to sign 20 to 22 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering cooperation in the economic and banking sectors, trade and investment, digital economy, infrastructure development, disaster management assistance, the construction of the 6th and 9th Bangladesh-China friendship bridges, the export of agricultural products from Bangladesh, and people-to-people connectivity.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud stated at a press conference on Sunday that the visit would also see the inauguration of several bilateral projects. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s 2016 visit to Bangladesh marked the beginning of the strategic partnership.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last visited Beijing in July 2019 and has made multiple visits to China previously. The two countries are set to celebrate the golden jubilee of their diplomatic relations next year.

Today, the second day of her visit to China, she met with the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Jin Liqun, and participated in a summit on trade, business, and investment opportunities between Bangladesh and China.

She also met with Wang Huning, President of the Consultative Party, and laid a wreath at the Monument to the People’s Heroes at Tiananmen Square.

The delegation-level bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Premier Li Qiang will take place at the Great Hall of the People tomorrow, where numerous MoUs will be signed.

She will also attend a welcome banquet hosted by Premier Li Qiang and have a meeting with President Xi Jinping in the afternoon.