PM, family off to Saudi Arabia for Umrah

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Accompanied by her family members and relatives, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia left for Saudi Arabia yesterday to perform Umrah.
During her seven-day official visit as guest of the Royal Saudi government, the prime minister will have talks with the Saudi leadership on a number of issues of common interest.

She is scheduled to return home on October 21 while some members of her entourage might stay back for a few more days, sources said.

A VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the PM took off from Zia International Airport for Jeddah at 7:35pm. The visit is supposed to be her last official foreign visit as the tenure of this government expires on October 27.

Family members of the PM, including her son Arafat Rahman and his wife, ruling BNP lawmaker Mosaddek Ali Falu, former state minister Mir Nasiruddin and Principal Secretary to the PM Dr Kamal Siddiqui and two senior officials of the foreign ministry accompanied her.

The PM’s eldest son Tarique Rahman and his wife are learnt to have left for Saudi Arabia on Friday.

“It is an official visit to Saudi Arabia. The prime minister will hold talks with the Saudi leadership, and they will discuss matters concerning bilateral relations,” said Enayet Mawla, a director at the foreign ministry.

Officials at the foreign ministry said Khaleda would call on King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud today in Makkah and she would have a meeting with Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz on October 17 in this holy city.

The official news agency BSS reports that on the sidelines of the official talks, heads of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) will call on the prime minister.

On conclusion of her official engagements, Khaleda will perform Umrah and go to Madina to perform Ziarat at the Rauza Mubarak of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM).

The Bangladesh community in Jeddah will host an Iftar reception in honour of the PM tomorrow.

At the airport, Khaleda was seen off by Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman, LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Foreign Minister Morshed Khan, Foreign Affairs Adviser Reaz Rahman, State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar, chiefs of the three services and senior civil and military officials.

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