FM Hasan Mahmud plans Delhi visit on February 7

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud is poised to undertake his inaugural bilateral visit to India on February 7, marking a key milestone in his tenure at the helm of the foreign ministry.

Dr Mahmud disclosed this information during a media interaction on Thursday, noting that this visit holds immense importance as his first bilateral engagement since assuming office.

The visit follows a congratulatory message from Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, who expressed his felicitations and anticipation for collaborative efforts to enhance the enduring friendship between India and Bangladesh.

Jaishankar extended an invitation to Minister Mahmud during their exchange, inviting him to visit India at a mutually convenient time.

Responding to the invitation, his Bangladeshi counterpart confirmed his intent to make India his first bilateral destination, underlining the significance of the diplomatic ties between the two nations.

Meanwhile, Mahmud was set to depart from Dhaka on Wednesday night for his inaugural foreign visit as foreign minister, attending the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit in the Ugandan capital, Kampala.

However, due to adverse weather conditions, the flight had to be canceled. Mahmud is expected to depart for Uganda on Thursday night.

Despite the schedule change, the foreign minister said that a planned meeting with Jaishankar on the sidelines of the NAM summit could not materialize due to travel constraints.

Regarding the agenda for the upcoming visit to Delhi, Dr Mahmud mentioned that details are yet to be finalized.

He also clarified that discussions with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not been confirmed.

“I will go there on the invitation of the foreign minister of India. Perhaps the visit is for three days,” Dr Mahmud said, highlighting that not all aspects of the visit have been conclusively determined.

Dr Hasan Mahmud, previously serving as the information minister since 2018, assumed the role of foreign minister after being reelected in the January 7 general elections.

The upcoming bilateral visit is expected to bolster diplomatic ties and pave the way for collaborative initiatives between Bangladesh and India.