At Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s request, French President Emmanuel Macron arrived here today for a formal visit.
At Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted the French President with a bouquet of flowers.
At 8.10 p.m., when the Prime Minister met Macron at the airport, a red carpet was laid out and the national anthems of both nations performed.
The Armed Forces presented a 21-gun salute and a guard of honor to the. Macron also examined the honor guard.
The premier at the time introduced the French President to the cabinet members.
Today, Sheikh Hasina and Macron both traveled independently to Dhaka from New Delhi following the G-20 Summit.
This is President Macron’s first trip to Bangladesh and his second as president of France; prior President Mitterrand traveled to Bangladesh from February 20–24, 1990.
Tomorrow morning in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in this city, President Macron and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are planned to have a private conversation and bilateral meeting.
The two presidents are likely to witness the signing of a few bilateral agreements.
Later, they will hold a joint press briefing.
Before leaving the PMO, Macron will sign the visitor’s book there.
Macron is scheduled to join a banquet to be hosted by Bangladesh Premier in honour of him tonight.
The French President will pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 tomorrow morning.
The French president is accompanied by, among others, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna.
The visit of the President Macron at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be the occasion to “concretize some projects and boost” further economic relations between the two countries, said the French side.
The bilateral trade relationship has gone a long way since early 1990.
Total trade between Bangladesh and France soared from euro € 210M to euro € 4.9 billion today with France being the 5th country for exports.
French companies are now involved in various sectors including engineering, energy, aerospace and water sectors.
Bangladesh and France anticipate that the visit of the French President will elevate their cordial ties to a new level.
On the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited France in November 2021.
The talks between Bangladesh and France, according to foreign minister AK Abdul Momen, would also cover topics like climate change and managed migration in addition to efforts to increase commerce and investment between the two nations.
Tomorrow afternoon, the French President is due to depart from Dhaka.
