Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina departed for Brussels this morning for a three-day official visit to Belgium to attend the "Global Gateway Forum", to be held there on October 25-26.

She is going to Brussels at the invitation of the European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen.

"A commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the prime minister and her entourage members departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), Dhaka at 11.10 am," PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said, reports UNB.

The flight is scheduled to land at Brussels Zaventem Airport at 6:45 pm local time (October 24).

During the visit, the prime minister will have a number of meetings with leaders of European countries on the sidelines of the forum.

On October 25 (Wednesday), the premier will hold separate bilateral meetings with EC President Ursula von der Leyen and EC Executive Vice President and European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.

After the meetings, she along with the EC president and the European Investment Bank (EIB) president will witness the signing of a loan agreement between the government of Bangladesh and the EIB. The EU will provide Euro 407 million to Bangladesh in the form of concessional loans and grants. Of this, Euro 350 million will be concessional loans.

On the same day, PM Hasina will attend the Global Gateway Forum's opening plenary session and deliver her speech.

She will have a meeting with EIB President Dr. Werner Hoyer in the afternoon.

Besides, EC Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic and EC Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen will call on the Bangladesh premier.

In the evening, the PM will attend a dinner hosted by the EC president in honor of the heads of states and governments participating in the Global Gateway Forum.

On October 26 (Thursday), the PM will hold a bilateral meeting with her Belgian counterpart Alexander De Croo.

The premier will also hold a meeting with Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel.

In the afternoon, Sheikh Hasina will attend a community reception accorded to her by Bangladeshi expatriates living in Belgium.

On October 27 (Friday), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to return to Bangladesh, leaving Brussels at 10 pm on Thursday local time.