DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday left for New York to attend the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), slated to begin on September 25.

A flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and members of her entourage took off from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here at 10:00am.

Industries minister Amir Hossain Amu, commerce minister Tofail Ahmed, civil aviation and tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon and Prime Minister’s information affairs adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury were, among others, saw her off at the airport.

Cabinet secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, prime minister’s principal secretary Abul Kalam Azad, chiefs of three services, US ambassador to Bangladesh, UK High Commissioner to Bangladesh and other high-ups were also present.

Prime Minister will make a nearly three-hour stopover at the Heathrow International Airport in London. Later, she will fly to New York by a British Airways flight that will land at John F Kennedy International Airport at 10:00pm (New York time) Wednesday.

After a warm reception at the airport, Sheikh Hasina will straight drive to Hotel Waldorf Astoria, New York. She will stay at the hotel during her the 11-day visit to the USA.

Hasina will celebrate holy Eid-ul-Azha in New York on September 24. Later, she will attend the 70th Session of UNGA on September 25.

The Prime Minister will leave New York on October 1 and will stay in the UK capital of London for a day. She will be accorded a community reception at a hotel on October 2.

She is expected to return home on October 3.

BDST: 1231 HRS, SEP 23, 2015
SR/SMS