Bhutanese King, Queen join Bangabhaban reception on Independence Day

Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk and Queen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck on Tuesday attended a state reception organised to mark the Independence day and the National Day of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s President Shahabuddin received the king with flowers while the first lady of Bangladesh Dr. Rebeka Sultana received the Queen.

A meeting between the king and the president was also held in the afternoon while the first lady and the Queen went to the VVIP enclosure of Bangabhaban ground built on the occasion of national independence reception.

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Simultaneously, the first lady of Bangladesh and the Queen exchanged greetings with the guests during the event. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina also joined them to exchange greetings.

The King signed the visitors’ book after the bilateral meeting with the President.

President Shahabuddin also hosted iftar and dinner in honour of the visiting Royal guests at Durbar hall.

Earlier, the King attended the ceremony at the National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar together with the president and the prime minister and planted a sapling there.

The Bhutanese King will visit Padma Bridge and a Special Economic Zone at Araihazar in Narayanganj. On Thursday (27 March), the King will visit another Special Economic Zone in Kurigram.

He will leave Bangladesh for Golakganj, Assam via Sonahat Land Port on Thursday afternoon while Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, state minister for shipping, will see him off there.

Bhutan was the first country to recognise the newly independent Bangladesh on December 6 in 1971 when the 3rd King of Bhutan sent a message of recognition by telegram.

Since then, Bangladesh and Bhutan have shared a special multidimensional bilateral relationship. Immediately after independence, the Bhutanese government established formal diplomatic relations with Bangladesh on 12 April 1973.