Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to leave Dhaka for Thimphu on Tuesday on a three-day official visit to Bhutan to attend an international conference on autism.

The three-day ‘International Conference on Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders’ kicks off at the Royal Banquet Hall in the Bhutanese capital on 19 April.

During the visit, Sheikh Hasina will hold meetings with Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and discuss bilateral and regional issues, said PM’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim on Monday.

A Druk Air VVIP flight carrying the premier and her entourage members will take off from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka for Thimphu on Tuesday morning.

The flight is scheduled to reach Paro International Airport in the Bhutanese capital at 11:35am, local time.

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Bangladesh Ambassador in Thimphu Jishnu Roy Choudhury will receive the premier at the airport. At that time she will be presented ceremonial Khadhar (scarf).

Later, the prime minister will be given a guard of honour and she will also inspect the guard.

From the airport, a ceremonial motorcade would escort to her at her place of residence, where she would be received by the chairman, Royal Privy Council of Bhutan.

In the afternoon, the prime minister will be ceremonially received at Tashichhodzong, the Royal Palace. A cabinet minister and senior Bhutanese officials will welcome her at the main gate of Tashichhodzong.

She will be given a guard of honour later.

Then, the prime minister will have an audience with Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck and Queen Jetsun Pema at the Royal Palace.

Later, Sheikh Hasina will hold a meeting with her Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay at Gyalyong Tshogkhang. The meeting will be followed by signing of MoUs by two countries.

The prime minister will attend a banquet at Royal Banquet Hall to be hosted in her honour by the Bhutanese premier.

On Wednesday morning, Sheikh Hasina will join the opening ceremony of the ‘International Conference on Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders’ at Royal Banquet Hall as the ‘guest of honour’.

The Bangladesh premier will attend the welcome lunch to be hosted by the Bhutanese prime minister in honour of the participants of the conference at Courtyard, Gyalyong Tshokhang.

In the afternoon, Sheikh Hasina chair the high-level discussion titled ‘Enabling countries to successfully address autism and other

neurodevelopmental disorders as part of their Sustainable Development Goals’.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina will unveil the foundation stone plaque of the Chancery of Bangladesh Embassy at Hejo.

The prime minister will join a private dinner to be hosted by the Bhutanese King and Queen at Lingkana Palace.

After wrapping up her three-day visit to Bhutan, Sheikh Hasina will return home on Thursday morning.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh and the Ministry of Health of Bhutan with the technical support of Shuchona Foundation (previously known as Global Autism), Ability Bhutan Society (ABS), and World Health Organization South-East Asia Regional Office are jointly organising the conference.

The theme of the conference is ‘Developing effective and sustainable multi-sectorial programs for individuals, families and communities living with ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders.

Apart from opening and closing ceremonies, a number of technical sessions will be held in the conference.

Government leaders, policymakers, experts and activists from around the globe will discuss strategic viewpoints to spread awareness about autism in the conference.