The 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit of heads of state and government will be chaired by European Union (EU) and hosted by Italy on October 16 and 17 this year in Milan.
Theme of the summit: Responsible Partnership for Sustainable Growth and Security, will be chaired by the President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy, in association with the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to attend the ASEM Summit, foreign office sources confirmed.
She is likely to fly on a regular Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight to Rome on October 15, later to Milan by special arrangement by the host country, Italy, foreign ministry officials told The Daily Observer.
Bangladesh along with Norway and Switzerland joined ASEM during the last ASEM summit at Vientiane in Laos in November of 2012.
The main components of the ASEM process are the so-called three pillars: 1) Political, 2) Economical, 3) Social, cultural and educational.
Hasina is likely to meet the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. However, appointment for the sideline parley has not been finalised, foreign office sources said.
Her agenda for discussions on the sideline parleys would be further investment, trade and commerce.
Apart from meeting the Italian Prime Minister, she will also meet several world leaders on the sidelines of the ASEM summit and the foreign office has sought tentative appointments.
The foreign office sources refused to disclose the names of the world leaders Bangladesh Prime Minister is likely to meet in Milan.
ASEM, an interregional forum currently has 51 partners, 49 countries and 2 international organisations.