PM to attend Commonwealth summit this afternoon

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting — a biennial summit of governmental leaders from all Commonwealth nations — today.

The summit will be held at Marlborough House, the Commonwealth Secretariat, London in the afternoon.

Interaction with King Charles III, head of Commonwealth, by the Commonwealth Heads of the Governments is scheduled from 2:00pm to 2:45pm (local time).

Closed discussion of the Commonwealth leaders will be held at the Main Conference Room, to be chaired by Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, Commonwealth Chair in Office from 3pm to 4.30pm.

The prime minister later at 5:15pm will attend King Charles III reception for heads and states of the governments or overseas representatives a day before the the coronation of their king and queen consort at Buckingham Palace.

A Commonwealth joint family will also be captured at the event.

The prime minister arrived in London at 11:49pm on Thursday to attend the coronation of King Charles III after attending a programme of the World Bank marking its 50 years partnership with Bangladesh in Washington DC, the USA and a bilateral visit in Japan.

Charles III, 74, became king of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on September 8, 2022, after the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II.

As per royal tradition, a British monarch’s coronation takes place some months later, after national mourning and intense preparations.

King Charles III’s coronation ceremony will be held at London’s Westminster Abbey on May 6.

The event is expected to be attended by heads of state from around the world, including Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium, Japan, Hungary, and Australia.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had met King Charles III last year in London and offered her condolences over the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.