The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed leaves for New Delhi today on a weeklong visit to India.

A reliable source said the Army Chief would call on Indian leaders, including External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Defense Minister A K Anthony, during his stay in the Indian capital February 24-25.

Besides, General Moeen will meet the chiefs of the three services of the neighboring country.

He will be given six horses as gift from India in a gesture of goodwill.

From Delhi, the Army Chief will go on a visit to the Indian Military Academy in Deradun. He will also visit Ajmer Sharif and Goa.

On his way back home, he will meet West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya in Kolkata.

"This is a routine visit. Earlier, the Indian army chief visited Bangladesh," said the source.

He is expected to return home on March 1.

General Moeen was scheduled to go to India last year but had to postpone the trip due to back-to-back floods twice in the last fall.

The source said the Army Chief is expected to visit Pakistan also at a convenient time.