A special ceremony was organized at the Bandaranaike International Airport to receive the President who arrived in the country as the new Chairman of the 5th Summit of the BIMSTEC. President Sirisena who reached at the Bandaranaike International Airport around 10.20 p.m. escorted to the VVIP lounge on the red carpet.Later, Seth Pirith chanted by Mahasangha to invoke blessings on the President and other religious rituals were also held to invoke blessings on the President. During the conclusion of the 4th Summit of the BIMSTEC the Chairmanship of the 5th Summit of the BIMSTEC handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena. Meanwhile, President Sirisena who engaged in a two-day official visit in Nepal held bi- lateral discussions with the President of Nepal Bhidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister K.P.Oli. Apart from that, President Maithripala Sirisena also held discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modhi, President of Myanmar Win Myint, Bangladesh Prime Minister Shaikh Hasina where those leaders promised to provide fullest assistance to economic and social development activities in Sri Lanka.

Source: Sunday Times September 03, 2018 08:03 UTC