DHAKA: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his visit to Bangladesh by paying rich tributes to the martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War at the national memorial at Savar, his first stop in the Bangladeshi capital.

Modi, who arrived here on a two-day visit on Saturday, drove straight to Savar, 35km from Dhaka, and placed floral wreaths at the mausoleum at 11:15am.

“I pay homage to the brave men and women and children who made the ultimate sacrifice for their motherland,” Modi wrote in the visitors’ book at the memorial.

Army bugles played the last post as the national flag was unfurled, lowered to half mast and then unfurled again as part of the ceremonial mourning during which Modi stood in solemn silence.

Indian PM also planted a sapling of Uday poddo, a flower tree, at the memorial premises where he was accompanied by minister in waiting and also law minister Anisul Huq.

Public Works Minster Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Liberation War affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque, Enamur Rahman MP, GOC of Ninth Infantry Division Wakaruzzaman, Dhaka DC Tofazzal Hossain Mia and Police Super Habibur Rahman welcomed the Indian premier.

Earlier in the day, a special flight of Indian Air Force carrying the Narendra Modi and his entourage landed in Dhaka airport at 10:10am Saturday.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina welcomed her Indian counterpart at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Later he was given a warm red carpet reception and Guard of Honour.

His two-day visit to Bangladesh will highlight the connectivity and security issues apart from signing of a number of instruments and deals, aiming to take the ties between the two neighbouring countries to a newer height.

BDST: 1207 HRS, JUNE 6, 2016
AKA/SMS


** Modi on way to National Memorial