DHAKA: President Abdul Hamid is set to leave the city for India on Thursday morning on a six-day official visit at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee.

A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, carrying Hamid and his wife Rashida Khanom, will depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10.45am on the day. He is scheduled to land at Delhi by the noon.

This is Hamid’s median visit to India. It is also the first tour by a Bangladesh President after nearly three decades.

Sources concerned said, as per Pranab’s request, Hamid will stay at Rashtrapati Bhaban in New Delhi during his visit. He will hold a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart on Friday.

Later, Hamid and his wife will join a dinner there to be hosted by the Indian President.

Several diplomatic sources said President Hamid will pay courtesy calls on Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and opposition leader of Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad separately.

Hamid will visit historically and culturally importance places like Agra, Jaipur and Kolkata. He is scheduled to return home on December 23.

BDST: 0914 HRS, DEC 18, 2014