by Staff Correspondent, Dhaka;

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka for London as she began her nearly two-week long official trip to the United States to join the 77^th session of the United Nations General Assembly later this month.

On her way, Hasina she will join the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, who died last week at the age of 96, in London on Monday.  

A chartered flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage members departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning. She is scheduled to reach reach London Stansted International Airport in the afternoon.

High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the United Kingdom Saida Muna Tasneem is expected to receive her at the airport. The secretary general of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland will pay a curtesy call on Friday.

Later, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, UK, Minister for South Asia, North Africa, the United Nations and the Commonwealth at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) will also pay a courtesy call on her.

She will also meet Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party Sir Keir Starmer on Saturday. Hasina will also attend a reception to be hosted by King Charles Philip in honour of the head of the governments or states on Sunday at the Buckingham Palace.

She will attend the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey on Monday prior to her departure for New York.

Hasina will be received by Ambassador of Bangladesh to the United States Muhammad Imran and Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Muhammad Abdul Muhith at the JFK International Airport.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to attend a reception meeting hosted by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and join the inaugural ceremony of 77th session of UNGA on Tuesday.

She will have bilateral meetings with Filippo Grandi of UNHCR and Slovenian President Borut Pahor. She will also join the UNGA Platform of Women Leaders.

At the end of the day, she will attend the reception of US President Joe Biden. Besides, she will join a high-level side event on sustainable housing co-hosted by Bangladesh, Botswana, Slovak Republic and UN Habitat on September 21.

On the same day, she will have a bilateral meeting with WEF Executive Director Professor Schwab Klaus and join the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG) Champions’ Meeting.

In the afternoon, the Hasina will visit the photo exhibition on the Padma Bridge at UNHQs followed by bilateral meeting with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso Mendoza and Rabab Fatima, USG OHRLLS.

The Prime Minister will start September 22 through a breakfast meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) followed by a courtesy call on by IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino. She will also join a high level policy roundtable with the US Bangladesh business council.

Later, she will have bilateral meetings with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen and ICC Prosecutors Nick Klegg and Karim Khan.

The Prime Minister will deliver her address at the General Debate of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly on September 23. She will join a civic reception by the expatriate Bangladeshi on September 24.

Ends/reporting by Nazrul Islam