Sheikh Hasina on day-long visit to Kolkata on Friday; to witness historic IND-BAN day-night Test, hold talks with Mamata

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be in Kolkata for a day-long visit on Friday where she will watch the historic India-Bangladesh day-night Test. 

Ms Hasina will ring the ceremonial bell at the Eden Gardens at 12:30 pm before the start of India's first-ever pink-ball Test. She will be joined by Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. 

Later in the evening, the Bangladesh Prime Minister will hold a meeting with Mamata where issues like Teesta water sharing is likely to be discussed. 

Addressing the media in Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, "Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is visiting Kolkata tomorrow at the request of our PM (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). We felt that it was most appropriate that the first day-night test match in India should be inaugurated by a good friend of India that is the reason she is visiting Kolkata."

Here is Sheikh Hasina’s schedule for Friday:

>> A special flight of Biman Bangladesh – Bangladesh’s national airlines carrying Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her entourage will depart Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 10 am (Bangladesh time) on Friday.

>> It will land at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Kolkata at 10:25am (IST).

>> She will directly go to Taj Bengal hotel for a short stay.

>> She will reach Eden Gardens at 12:15 pm, ring the ceremonial bell alongside Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee at 12:30 pm.

>> She will stay only to watch the first session of the first day of the match and will then return to the hotel.

>> Around 6 pm, she is likely to hold a meeting with Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

>> Sheikh Hasina will leave Kolkata by the same special flight at 10 pm (IST) and land at Dhaka at 11:30 pm (Bangladesh time).

The iconic Eden Gardens is all set to host India and Bangladesh for their first-ever pink-ball Test. A musical extravaganza is planned for the inaugural event which will be attended by former cricketers, celebrities and politicians.

Legendary cricketers including Sachin Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev will also gather at the Eden Gardens to witness the historic match. 

"Sachin (Tendulkar), (Sunil) Gavaskar, Kapil (Dev), Rahul (Dravid), Anil (Kumble) everyone will be there. In tea time, there will be carts going around the stadium with former captains in them," Ganguly said on Wednesday.