Dhaka, Thimpu to sign 3 deals

Dhaka-Thimpu bilateral relations are expected to reach a new height after Bangladesh and Bhutan sign three instruments and a number of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on April 13 during Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering's visit.
According to Foreign Ministry sources, the three bilateral instruments to be signed includes "cooperation on inland waterways for cargo transportation," "cooperation in health and agriculture sectors" and "cooperation between the Public Administration Training Centres of the two countries for exchange of faculty members as well as training and capacity building."
The Bhutanese premier is scheduled to hold meetings with President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina separately.  
"It will be a four-day official visit. Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering will arrive on April 12," a senior Foreign Ministry official told the Daily Observer on Saturday.
Apart from these areas of cooperation, Bangladesh will discuss cooperative frameworks     on transit and connectivity, especially under the BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal) framework which Bangladesh believes is "crucial" for the future development of the sub-region.
Due to the opposition of Bhutanese Parliament, the proposed motor ways between the BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-Nepal and India) is hanging in the balance for the last few years. Lotay Tshering will be visiting Dhaka at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"The proposed hydro power project, education, tourism, human resources development, science and technology, agriculture, food security, water resources management, climate change and people-to-people contact are also in the agenda to be discussed," an official said.
Bhutan became the first country to recognise the newly-independent Bangladesh. Both the countries share special relationship since 1971.
To pay the highest tributes to the Bhutanese Premier, a red-carpet will be rolled out and he will be welcomed with a gun salute at the Shahjalal Airport. After arriving here, he will pay tributes to the Liberation War martyrs at the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar and to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing wreaths at his portrait at Bangabandhu Memorial Museum in Dhanmondi. Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen will call on the Bhutanese premier at Hotel Intercontinental on the first day.
Dr Tshering will hold a meeting with leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI). On April 14, which is the first day of the Bangla calendar, he will attend a new years' cultural function organized by Surer Dhara at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Later, Bhutanese Prime Minister Dr Lotay Tshering, an alumnus of Mymensingh Medical College, will fly to the district to visit his alma mater. He will address a students' gathering there.
He will return to Dhaka on the same day and meet Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi and Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque separately in the afternoon.
Tshering is also scheduled to visit the Square Pharmaceuticals factory in Gazipur, the Dharmarajika Buddhist Monastery Complex at Bashabo and the Embassy of Bhutan in Dhaka.
He is scheduled to have breakfast with Bhutanese students and citizens living here before departing Dhaka on April 14 morning.