Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now in Kolkata, India on a one-day visit. She has reached Kolkata to watch the second Test match of a two-match Test series between Bangladesh and India that started at 1.30pm at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Friday (Nov 22).
Indian Premier Narendra Modi formally invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the historic day-night Test match in the West Bengal capital, popularly known as ‘City of Joy’ from Nov 22 to 26.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines special flight carrying the prime minister and her entourage took off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10am.
The flight landed at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata at 10:25am (Indian time).
Mayor of Kolkata and Minister for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs of West Bengal Firhad Hakim, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Syed Muazzem Ali, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das and President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly received the premier at the airport.
After reception at the airport, a ceremonial motorcade escorted the prime minister to Hotel Taj Bengal, Kolkata where she will be staying during her short visit.
The two neighbours are playing now their maiden day-night Test match with pink ball.
Sheikh Hasina went to the Eden Gardens around 12:30pm local time where she along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rang the ceremonial bell for the opening of the Test match between Bangladesh and India.
The prime minister will depart from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata for Dhaka by a Biman Bangladesh Airlines special flight at 10pm (Indian time) and the flight is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at 11:30pm (BST).
Earlier, President of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Sourav Ganguly invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to watch the second Test match in Kolkata.