Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra is set to embark on a visit to Bangladesh this week, possibly on April 20th, Saturday. This trip is part of the groundwork for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s anticipated trip to New Delhi, according to inside sources.
During his sojourn, Kwatra is expected to confer with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.
Hasina’s travel itinerary includes a journey to New Delhi following the Lok Sabha election. The Foreign Secretary also intends to engage with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with Bangladesh’s foreign minister and his counterpart Masud Bin Momen.
The discourse during the bilateral meetings will touch upon various topics, such as the progress of the Teesta water reservoir construction and river dredging, the state of affairs in Myanmar, and other shared concerns.
New Delhi plans to extend an invitation to the Bangladesh Prime Minister ahead of her scheduled visit to China in July. India has already dispatched a formal communication to PM Sheikh Hasina, inviting her to visit the nation for discussions on an array of bilateral topics, including Teesta water sharing.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Hasan Mahmud, visited New Delhi in February this year. During this trip, he held discussions with India’s Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval.
Their dialogue primarily focused on future collaboration in alignment with the national development objectives of the two nations, encompassing the visions of “Viksit Bharat 2047” and “Smart Bangladesh 2041.”
This marked his inaugural bilateral visit to India as Foreign Minister since Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resumed office for a fourth consecutive term.
As per the MEA, the two ministers assessed advancements across a diverse range of bilateral interactions, such as cross-border connectivity, economic and development collaboration, defense and security cooperation, power, energy, water resources, and people-to-people connections.
This visit underscored the significant priority and commitment both nations attribute to their bilateral association.
It bears mention that Prime Minister Narendra Modi journeyed to Bangladesh in March 2021 to partake in the commemorations of the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s Independence, the Birth Centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and Bangladesh.
The trip at that juncture signified the enduring half-century partnership between India and Bangladesh, which has solidified, matured, and set a precedent for regional bilateral relationships.
During his visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the enduring legacy of ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, lauding his valor and profound influence on the birth of sovereign Bangladesh.
He also acknowledged ‘Bangabandhu’s’ pivotal role in fostering tranquility, security, and advancement in the region.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her appreciation to India for awarding the Gandhi Peace Prize for the year 2020 to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in honor of his exceptional contributions towards Bangladesh’s social, economic, and political transformation through non-violent, Gandhian methods.
