PM Hasina off to London from Washington DC

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday left here for London on a five-day official visit to the UK.

Wrapping up her six-day visit to the USA, Hasina departed Dulles International Airport in Washington by an aircraft of the United Airlines at 11:30am local time (9:30pm Bangladesh Time), said PM's Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam.

She arrived in the USA on April 29 last to celebrate the 50 years of partnership between the World Bank and Bangladesh.

The flight carrying the premier is scheduled to land at Heathrow International Airport in London at 12:00am local time on Friday (5:00am Bangladesh Time).

Hasina is visiting the UK to attend the coronation of UK’s King Charles III, to be hosted by Buckingham Palace on May 6. She will represent Bangladesh at the ceremony.

It will be held at Westminster Abbey on May 6 and the King, who will be crowned along with the Queen Consort, will be the 40th reigning monarch crowned there since 1066.

She is expected to attend a reception for the King and Queen Consort to be held at Buckingham Palace on May 5.

Also, on the same day, the PM will take part in the Commonwealth Leaders' Forum hosted by the Commonwealth secretary general at Marlborough House in presence of the king.

It is expected that the heads of states or governments of about 130 countries (including the heads of governments of most Commonwealth countries) will participate in the coronation ceremony to be held in the UK after 70 years.

During the visit, Prime Minister Hasina will also attend a civic reception organized at a London hotel and exchange views with expat Bangladeshis and British citizens of Bangladeshi origin.

The PM is expected to return home on May 9, concluding her 15-day three-nation visit to Japan, the USA and the UK.

PM Hasina was in Japan from 25 to 28 April at the invitation of Japanese counterpart Kishida Fumio.