'Good friend' PM Hasina to visit Kolkata on Friday to watch Indo-Bangla Test

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be in India tomorrow to watch the first day of the two-day test series between India and Bangladesh that will be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata later in the day.

"Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is visiting Kolkata tomorrow at the request of our PM. We felt that it was most appropriate that the first day-night test match in India should be inaugurated by a good friend of India that is the reason she is visiting Kolkata," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a weekly briefing.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended an invitation to Hasina last month to attend the historic day-night test match, which will be played with a pink ball.

On Friday, a special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Bangladesh Prime Minister and her entourage will depart from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka at 10 a.m. (local time). The plane will land at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata at 10:25 a.m.

After the ceremonial programs at the airport, the prime minister will go to Hotel Taj Bengal Kolkata where she will be staying during this short visit.

Later, the premier along with the Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee will go to the Eden Gardens Stadium and ring the ceremonial bell at about 12:30 p.m.

After watching the first session of the second test match, Hasina will return to the hotel.

On the end of the first day's match, the premier will attend a small cultural program followed by a felicitation program arranged by the Cricket Association of Bengal at the ground of Eden Gardens Stadium.

Hasina will then emplane for Dhaka at 10 p.m.