Several welcome arches with cut-outs of Mr. Modi and Ms.

Hasina added to the fes

tival-like atmosphere.
Bangladesh is all set to roll out a red carpet welcome to Prime Minister Narendr
a Modi who will arrive in Dhaka on Saturday on his maiden visit to the country,
amid expectations on both sides to take bilateral ties to a new level and unleas
h the potential of economic and trade ties.
Ahead of Mr. Modi s two-day visit, the capital city Dhaka is having a festive look
with streets adorned with life-size cut-outs of Mr. Modi, West Bengal Chief Min
ister Mamata Banerjee and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Ms. Banerjee will arrive in Dhaka on Friday night and will take part in the flag
off ceremony of Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service and signing of the LBA agree
ment.
Large cut-outs of Bangladesh founder Sheikh Mujibur Rehman and former Prime Mini
ster Indira Gandhi were also seen on the streets as a token of an age old relati
onship between both the two countries and India s role in the Bangladesh Liberatio
n War in 1971.
We are really overwhelmed by Prime Minister Modi s visit. We believe that the signi
ng of LBA and Kolkata-Dhaka-Agartala bus service will open new avenues and stren
gthen the bilateral ties, Awami League MP Md Monirul Islam told PTI.
Mr. Islam said strong bilateral ties will also help in fighting the menace of te
rrorism and fundamentalism.