DHAKA,  – Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will arrive here tomorrow morning as the first world leader to attend the golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh’s independence and birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Solih will be in Dhaka on a three-day tour to be followed by four other heads of state and government from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and India under separate schedules.

“President M Abdul Hamid will receive his Maldivian counterpart at the Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport (HISA) at 8.20am tomorrow,” President’s Press Secretary Joynal Abedin told BSS.

He said the Maldives President will also attend the National Parade Square (Ground) function at Tejgaon while his Bangladesh counterpart will also be there at 4.30 pm.

Marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu and Golden Jubilee of the Independence of the country, a 10-day special programme will begin at the National Parade Ground tomorrow.

Chief Coordinator of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Birth Centenary Celebration National Implementation Committee Dr Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury told journalists that the events would be held between March 17 and 26 following the health guidelines as guests from both home and abroad will join the programmes.

The theme of the 10-day event is ‘Mujib Chirantan’, but separate theme for each day has been taken. ‘Vengechho Duar Esechho Jotirmoy’ is the theme of March 17, he added.

The Maldivian President, as part of his Bangladesh visit’s programme schedule, will pay a courtesy call on Bangladesh President at the Credential Hall of the Bangabhaban at 7pm on Thursday.

Ibrahim Mohamed Solih would sign the visitors’ book at Bangabhaban. Several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) are scheduled to be signed between the two countries in presence of the two heads of the state, the press secretary added.

Later, the Maldivian President will join the dinner and cultural programme to be hosted by Bangladesh’s head of the state at Durbar Hall Ground of the Bangabhaban.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa will arrive on a two-day tour on March 19. Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari will be in Dhaka on a two-day tour from March 22 and Bhutanese premier Lotay Tshering is scheduled to be here on March 24 and 25.

Besides, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive here on March 26 and depart Dhaka on March 27.