Bangladesh rolls out red carpet for Brunei Sultan
A red carpet welcome was accorded to Brunei Darussalam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah who arrived on a three-day visit to Bangladesh on Saturday.
A special VVIP flight landed at Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport (HSIA) carrying the Brunei Sultan and his entourage at 2:24 pm for his maiden Bangladesh visit.
President M Abdul Hamid along with senior ministers and high civil and military officials received the Sultan, accompanied by his royal family members, ministers of various ministries of Brunei and high-level government officials.
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A 21-gun salute heralded his arrival as he disembarked from the aircraft when Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid welcomed him with a bouquet.
A combined contingent of Bangladesh army, navy and air force presented him with a guard of honour while the Sultan along with Bangladesh president stood on a makeshift dais when the military band played national anthems of both countries as well.
The Brunei Sultan also inspected the guard and then Bangladesh President introduced him to Bangladeshi dignitaries who were present at the reception line.
The Brunei Sultan is making his maiden tour to Dhaka at the invitation of Bangladesh President Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Brunei is an independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of Borneo Island in Southeast Asia and entirely surrounded by Malaysia.
Brunei gained its independence as a British protectorate on 1 January 1984 but has been led by Hassanal Bolkiah since 1967.
Later, Brunei Sultan was escorted to the National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar on the outskirts of the capital in a motorcade from the airport. He will place a wreath at the Memorial in memory of Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War martyrs, plant a sapling and sign the "Visitors' Book" there.
The Sultan is scheduled to stay at Hotel InterContinental in Dhaka, according to the programme schedule.
Sultan Waddaulah will hold separate meetings with the President and the Prime Minister during his visit.
He is scheduled to return to Brunei on 17 October.
