By Mizan Rahman/Dhaka


Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka yesterday morning on an eight-day “official” visit to the United Kingdom and Belarus, triggering bitter criticism from media and civil society.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight, carrying the prime minister and her entourage, departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 9:40am. She is expected to reach Heathrow Airport, London around 2:50pm.
Hasina will stay in London for four days before heading towards Belarus.  In London, she will have a meeting with British Foreign Minister William Haguelater at London’s Hilton Hotel.
Wrapping up the UK leg of the tour, Hasina will then leave London for Minsk, Belarus at about 3pm on July 8 and will arrive in the Belarus capital Minsk on the same day.
Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail V Myasnikovich and Bangladesh ambassador to Belarus Dr Saiful Hoque will receive the prime minister at Minsk International Airport.
During her stay in Minsk, Hasina will meet Belarusian President Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko at his official residence on July 9. On the same day, she will also have a bilateral meeting with Belarusian Prime Minister Mikhail V Myasnikovich at the house of government.
After bilateral talks and a signing ceremony, both leaders will hold a joint press briefing.
The Daily Star paper in a front-page report yesterday said the private visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to London has been turned into an official one, raising eyebrows both at home and abroad. The change in the trip’s status means taxpayers will have to bear the expenses
The Daily Star went on: “Hasina will not get any protocol or security from the British government during her five-day stay, from July 4 to 8, in London where she is expected to meet the British foreign minister and some lawmakers. Hasina, who leaves for London this morning for an eight-day tour to two nations, added London to her bilateral visit to Belarus.
“This is basically a private visit to attend the wedding reception of her niece Tulip Siddiq, eldest daughter of Sheikh Rehana and granddaughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” said a senior official.
“But this trip turns into an official visit, as British Foreign Minister William Hague will call on her and hold a breakfast meeting with the members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Bangladesh,” the official added.  Labour Party politician and an elected councillor from London’s Regent Park, Tulip married a few months ago British civil servant Chris, who studied at Cambridge University.
The wedding reception is scheduled for Sunday, when Tulip’s aunt Sheikh Hasina will attend a private ceremony for family and friends.  She is not meeting the UK prime minister or having any bilateral meeting with any UK leader, but for the whole five days, the government will have to bear the cost of her 43-member entourage in the Hilton.
Official sources confirmed that this was neither a bilateral visit nor had she been invited by the British government.
A senior official at the British High Commission in Dhaka told the daily that there was no invitation from the British government and the Bangladesh prime minister was going to London on a private visit.  So, she (PM) will not get any protocol or security from the British government during her stays in London, the official added.
A senior official of Bangladesh High Commission in London confirmed that the PM would not get British protocol or security as she would be on a private visit.
“But we informed the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the programme details of the visit,” he added.  Officials in Dhaka said a 15-member team of Special Security Force (SSF) would accompany the PM during her London visit.
The VVIP flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines (BG-015) carried the Prime Minister and her entourage, including Foreign Minister Dipu Moni.
As per the programme book published by the Foreign Ministry, there is no mention of any British government official who will be present at the airport to receive the PM.
On the first day of her visit, UK Foreign Minister William Hague will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her hotel suite at 6:30 pm(GMT). Today evening, the prime minister will meet with Bangladeshi citizens living in UK at the hotel. Tomorrow she will give an interview to Belarusian Television at 10:00am for half an hour. On Sunday she has no appointments.On Monday, the prime minister will hold a breakfast meeting with members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Bangladesh at 9am for an hour.
The same day, Hasina will leave London for Belarus at 3pm (London time) for a four-day bilateral visit. Bangladesh High Commissioner Mijarul Quayes will see the Prime Minister off. Again, no British government official will be present at the airport. She will lead an 81-member Bangladesh team, including a 29- businessmen delegation. The businessmen usually travel with the prime minister at their own cost.