Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay paid tributes to the Liberation War martyrs by placing a wreath at the National Memorial in Savar on the outskirts of the capital shortly after his arrival here on a two-day state visit. 

After placing the wreath at the altar of the memorial, he stood in solemn silence for few minutes in memory of the martyrs of the great Liberation War in 1971. 

A contingent of Bangladesh Army, Navy and Air Force presented a state salute while a melancholy tune was being played on the bugles.

Liberation War Affairs Adviser Faruk E Azam, Bir Protik, Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin, Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Adviser Supradip Chakma and Housing and Public Works Secretary Md Nazrul Islam were present on the occasion. 

Later, the Bhutanese premier signed the visitors’ book kept there and planted a Bakul sapling on the memorial premises.

Earlier, a red carpet was rolled out to accord warm reception to Tobgay on his arrival. 

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus received him at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital after a Drukair flight, carrying Tobgay and his entourage members, landed at the airport around 8:15am.

Bangladesh’s foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain and commerce adviser Sk Bashir Uddin are expected to meet the Bhutanese leader this afternoon before he holds a tête-à-tête with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at his office in the city’s Tejgaon area around 3:00pm.

Prime Minister Tobgay will also attend an official banquet in his honor in the evening.