PM reaches Sydney

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reached Sydney this (Friday) morning on a three-day official visit to Australia at the invitation of her Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull to receive the Global Women’s Leadership Award at the 2018 Global Summit of Women and hold a bilateral meeting with him.

A Thai Airways flight carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage landed at Sydney International Airport at 7:05am on Friday (local time).

Bangladesh High Commissioner to Australia Mohammad Sufiur Rahman received her at the Sydney airport.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Meher Afroze Chumki, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque and a women business delegation are, among others, accompanying the Prime Minister.

Later in the day, Sheikh Hasina will be met by Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Vietnam Vice President.

In the evening, she will attend Global Women’s Leadership Award Gala Dinner at International Convention Centre (ICC) Sydney and will receive the Global Women’s Leadership Award there.

The Prime Minister is being given the award, a lifetime honour, for her outstanding leadership in advancing women education and women entrepreneurs in Bangladesh, Asia and Asia-pacific region.

US-based NGO Global Summit of Women will confer the award on her during 2018 Global Summit of Women being held for three days from April 26 to April 28.

It is a business summit, the focus of which is on women’s advancement in the global economy. For over 27 years, the summit has been connecting women worldwide, according to UNB.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister will visit Sydney University, hold a bilateral meeting with her Australian counterpart Malcolm Turnbull and attend a community event at Sofitel Hotel in Sydney.

Sheikh Hasina will leave Sydney on Sunday afternoon and return home in the early hours of Monday.