PM leaves Rome for home

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today left here for home wrapping up her three-day official visit to Italy to attend the UN Food Systems Summit+2 Stocktaking Moment.

A regular flight of Qatar Airways, carrying the premier and her entourage members, departed from Rome Fiumicino Airport at 09:45am local time (01:45pm BST).

The flight is scheduled to reach Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka at 02:05am (BST) on Thursday after making over one hour stopover at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.

The prime minister arrived in Rome, Italy on June 23 to join UNFSS+2 conference at the invitation of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres.

The UNFSS+2 conference was held at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters on July 24-26 with the theme “Sustainable Food Systems for People, Planet and Prosperity: Diverse Pathways in a Shared Journey”.

The premier addressed the official opening of the conference as the special guest speaker on July 24.

Around 2000 participants from over 160 countries, including over 20 heads of state and government, attended the UNFSS+2.

Sheikh Hasina also participated in the plenary session titled “Food Systems and Climate Action”.

On the evening of the same day, she also joined the inaugural ceremony of Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room in FAO headquarters.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had a bilateral meeting with her Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the newly opened Bangladesh-Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Room in the FAO headquarters on the sidelines of the UN Food Systems Summit.

In addition, three Italian ministers -Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Justice Minister Carlo Nordio – also paid a courtesy call on the Bangladesh prime minister at FAO headquarters.

FAO Director General Qu Dongyu, President of International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD) Alvaro Lario and World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director Cindy Hensley McCain, as well, paid courtesy call on the premier.

On July 25, the premier attended the “Regional Envoys Conference” organised with Bangladesh ambassadors stationed in 15 European countries.

Sheikh Hasina also had a bilateral meeting with her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni.

During the meeting, two Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) – “Cooperation in the Field of Energy” and “Cultural Exchange Programme” – were exchanged in presence of the two prime ministers.

The prime minister also joined a community reception accorded to her hosted by the expatriate Bangladeshis in Italy.