Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves here for Italy today on a four-day official visit to Italy to attend the annual governing council meeting of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
The Prime Minister is joining the 41st session of the IFAD meeting at the invitation of IFAD President Gilbert F Houngbo.
At an invitation of Pope Francis, Sheikh Hasina will also visit the Holy See (Vatican City) to hold a meeting with the Pope.
An Emirates flight carrying the premier and her entourage members will depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here for the Italian capital in the morning.
The flight is scheduled to reach Fiumicino Airport in Rome at 6:45 pm local time. Bangladesh Ambassador to Italy Abdus Sobhan Sikder will receive the premier at the airport.
On her way to Rome, the Prime Minister will make a stopover in Dubai for nearly two hours.
On February 12, Sheikh Hasina will visit the Vatican City to meet Pope Francis. She will also hold a meeting with Secretary State of Vatican City Cardinal Pietro Paroline there.
Pope Francis earlier visited Bangladesh from November 31 to December 2 last at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Prime Minister will attend the 41st Session of the Governing Council of IFAD in the morning on February 13 at the IFAD Headquarters in Rome.
She will present a keynote paper at the inaugural session of the governing council meeting.
The theme of the IFAD governing council meeting is -‘From Fragility to long-term resilience: investing in sustainable rural economics’.
During the two-day meeting, delegates will discuss how investing in sustainable rural livelihoods is central to peace, state-building and social stability around the world.
