<div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will leave Dhaka on Wednesday for Bangkok on a six-day official visit to Thailand at the invitation of her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin.</span><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The visit is aimed at to strengthening&nbsp; the bilateral ties between the two countries, officials said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying the premier and her entourage, is scheduled to depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10:00am on Wednesday, said PM’s Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The fight is to land at Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok at 1:30pm local time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It's both a bilateral and multilateral visit," said Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud said at a media briefing on Monday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bilateral part of visit&nbsp; will be the first-ever visit at the level of head of government from Bangladesh to Thailand since establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp; It is also Hasina’s&nbsp; first bilateral visit to a country after winning the general election in January.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During her visit from April 24 to 29, the Bangladesh premier will hold bilateral talks with PM Thavisin and also attend the 80th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh and Thailand will sign a number of cooperation documents including a letter of intent on negotiations for a free trade agreement between the two countries, said the foreign minister.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The two countries&nbsp; are likely to sign an agreement on visa exemption for official passport holders, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation while two more MoUs on tourism sector cooperation and duty related mutual cooperation to expand the relations, he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh will seek support from Thailand regarding Rohingya repatriation as well as increased investment from Thailand, said Hasan Mahmud adding that the issue of shipping connectivity will also be discussed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On April 26, PM Hasina will be formally received by her Thai host Srettha Thavisin while a ceremonial guard of honor will be accorded to her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the same day, the Bangladesh premier will hold bilateral talks with PM Thavisin at the Government House (Prime Minister’s Office) following a tete-a-tete between the two leaders, witness the signing of the documents, participate in a joint press conference and then attend a state lunch to be hosted by her Thai counterpart in her honour there.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the visit, the prime minister will have a Royal audience of Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshan, King and Queen of the Kingdom of Thailand at the Palace.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In her multilateral engagement, PM Hasina is scheduled to attend the 80th Session of ESCAP and deliver a speech there on April 25.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the same day, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjabana will call on the prime minister.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Guided by the theme “Leveraging digital innovation for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific”, the eightieth session will be an opportunity to strengthen region-wide cooperative action on leveraging digital innovation for the accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, reports UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The session will bring together government leaders and ministers from across Asia and the Pacific and other key stakeholders to discuss how digital innovation can more inclusively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals across multiple disciplines.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify; 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