The Nepal government has formally invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the 18th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

The two-day summit is scheduled to be begun in the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu on November 26.

Nepalese Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, on behalf of Nepalese Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, extended the invitation to the Bangladesh premier when he paid a courtesy call on her at her official Ganobhaban residence on Monday evening.

After the meeting, PM's Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhury briefed reporters.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accepted the invitation to join the summit.

This is the third time Nepal will host the SAARC Summit after 1997 and 2002.

During meeting, Sheikh Hasina said there must be an accord among the SAARC countries for balanced growth and development of the region.

She also underscored the need for signing of a tripartite deal involving Bangladesh, India and Nepal for physical connectivity with Kathmandu.

"A discussion is underway to this end," she said.

PM's Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Gowher Rizvi and Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikdar were present. 

See more at Dhaka Tribune