Diplomatic Correspondent

Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is scheduled to arrive on Monday on a four-day visit demonstrating the strong relations that Bangladesh and Bhutan have developed steadily since 1971.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and the First Lady will receive the king amid gun salute and guard of honor.

The king is scheduled to arrive at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport 10am on Monday by a special flight, a senior official told UNB.

After the ceremony at the airport, the king will go to Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

On Monday afternoon, the Bhutanese King will have a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office. They will have a tete-a-tete (one-to-one) meeting, too.

The two sides are likely to sign several MoUs after the meeting.

Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud will meet the king at his place of residence the same day before the meeting with the prime minister.

On Tuesday, the king will visit the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar.

Together with the president and prime minister, the king will attend the ceremony at the National Martyrs’ Memorial at Savar.

He will plant a sapling there.

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The king will also visit the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn & Plastic Surgery.

He will visit Bangabhaban where he will be received by the president and the first lady.

The king will have a meeting with the president at 4:30pm on Tuesday.

The president will host iftar and dinner in honour of the visiting royal.

On Wednesday morning, the Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck, Queen of Bhutan and selected Bhutanese delegation members will leave Bangladesh for Bhutan by a special flight.

Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Rehana and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen will see them off at the airport.

The Bhutanese king will visit Padma Bridge and Bangladesh Special Economic Zone, Araihazar, Narayanganj.

On Thursday, the king will visit Kurigram Special Economic Zone.

He will leave Bangladesh territory for Golakganj, Assam via Sonahat Land Port on Thursday afternoon.

Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, state minister for shipping will see him off there.

The 4th King of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, sent a letter of congratulations to the prime minister recently saying under her dynamic and strong leadership, Bangladesh has enjoyed peace, stability and unprecedented economic development.

He also termed Bhutan as a "close friend" and rejoiced with the people of Bangladesh on this occasion.

Bhutan was the first country to recognise the newly independent Bangladesh on December 6 in 1971 when the 3rd King of Bhutan sent a message of recognition by telegram.

Since then Bangladesh and Bhutan share a special multidimensional bilateral relationship. Immediately after the independence, the Bhutanese government took initiative to establish diplomatic relations with Bangladesh and, consequently, formal diplomatic relations was established on 12 April 1973.