Khaleda Zia, who arrived here Monday afternoon, said she was impressed by the reception and looking forward to fostering "a very important" bilateral relationship.

"I came here with an open mind and will discuss everything of bilateral relations," a smiling Khaleda Zia told journalists shortly after taking salute at a guard of honour at the presidential palace.

She praised the majesty and elegance of the forecourt of the British-built Rashtrapari Bhavan and was looking pleased when briefly talking to around 100 Bangladeshi, Indian and foreign journalists.

"She is our honoured guest," Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said when asked about Bangladesh prime minister's visit.

"Bangladesh is a country with which we have intimate ties of friendship," he said adding, " a peaceful, strong, prosperous and stable Bangladesh is an Indian interest...It is the interest of South Asia and all."

Asked about the outcome of the visit, the Indian prime minister said, "We will discuss all aspects of bilateral relations."

The mounted President's Bodyguards, an elite cavalry unit that was formed in 1773 by the then British Governor General Warren Hastings, presented national salute to the Bangladesh prime minister and escorted her to the forecourt when her car entered the Rashtrapati Bhavan at 10:23am (IST). She was about 23 minutes behind schedule while her Indian counterpart arrived at the Presidential Palace right at 10:00 and waited to receive her.

A detachment of the Defence Forces, assembled near the Jaipur Column, also saluted the Bangladesh prime minister upon her arrival.

Dr Manmohan Singh received Khaleda Zia and the Indian Chief of Protocol took her to the saluting dais. The guards comprised of the members of the three wings of the Indian Armed Forces and the President's Bodyguards then presented arms when the national anthems of Bangladesh and India were played. Later, Khaleda Zia inspected the guard.

The Indian Chief of Protocol then escorted her to the introduction lines where the Indian prime minister introduced his cabinet colleagues and other high officials. Khaleda Zia also introduced her cabinet ministers and top officials accompanying her.

Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman, Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan, Foreign Affairs Adviser Reaz Rahman and other high officials from Bangladesh

attended the reception.

Indian Minister for Home Affairs Shivraj V Patil, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Information and Broadcasting Priyaranjan Dasmunsi, Water Resources Minister Saif-ud-din Soz, Ministers of State in the Ministry of External Affairs E Ahammed and Anand Sharma, and Governor of New Delhi BN Joshi, Indian Army chief General Joginder Jaswant Singh, Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran and other high profile civil and military officials were present at the reception ceremony.

After the ceremonial reception that lasted for about 10 minutes, Prime Minister Khaleda Zia went to Rajghat to visit the Samadhi of Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Father of the Nation.

Nirmala Deshpande, MP, secretary of the Rajghat Samadhi Committee, received her on her arrival at the memorial site.

Khaleda Zia laid floral wreath at the Samadhi and observed one-minute silence in memory of Gandhi. She was shown an inscription titled "Seven Social Sins" by Gandhi.

The Bangladesh prime minister was also presented a set of books and a sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi by the secretary of the Rajghat Samadhi Committee.

The Samadhi officials also invited her to visit again in future.