The year 2011 is likely to be packed with diplomatic activities for Bangladesh aiming at strengthening diplomatic ties after a hectic 2010.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit a number of countries in the year 2011 and she will start by visiting United Arab Emirates from January 16-18.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni will be visiting about half a dozen countries in first three months, while Bangladesh will be rolling out red carpets to prime ministers and foreign ministers of several countries including India and USA, during the same period.

Bangladesh will roll red carpet first in 2011 for

Bhutanese Prime Minister Lyonchen JigmeYoserThinley, who will pay a five-day official visit to Bangladesh beginning January 10.

Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is expected to visit Bangladesh most likely in the first quarter or in May. Prior to Singh's visit Indian external affairs secretary and ministers will visit Bangladesh as preparatory to Indian prime minister's trip.

There is possibility of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visiting Bangladesh in the first quarter of 2011.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, who travelled more than two dozen countries to attend various bilateral, regional and international events in 2010, will visit UAE, India, Myanmar, Bhutan, Canada, and Greece in the first quarter of 2011.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a bid to strengthen friendly ties and multidimensional diplomacy, visited a number of countries, including India, China, Korea, USA, Kuwait, Russia, Japan, Belgium, Bhutan and Malaysia this year.

The foreign minister, on her part, visited India (three times), Switzerland (three times), UK (three times), USA (two times), Indonesia (two times), Kuwait, the Philippines, China, Norway, Bhutan, Tajikistan, Brazil, Uganda, Turkey, France, Spain, Vietnam, Germany, Russia, Portugal, Nigeria, Iran, Japan, Belgium, Thailand and Cambodia in 2010 and had either spoken to or held meetings with her counterparts in at least a hundred nations.

Diplomatic sources said that the visits by both the PM and foreign minister played a significant role in strengthening relations in the regional and international arena.