Photo : Collected
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has reached New Delhi late night yesterday on his maiden bilateral visit since assuming office last month. A close confidante of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Dr Mahmud is scheduled to meet the top Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his 3-day stay in India.
He will have extensive talks with his Indian counterpart Dr Subramanyan Jaishankar, at whose invitation this visit is taking place.
Meanwhile, Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor has just concluded a closely guarded visit to Dhaka where he is said to have conferred on some pressing emerging issues with the top echelons of Bangladeshi leadership including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Dr Hasan Mahmud is also scheduled to have a meeting with NSA Doval and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal during his stay in the Indian capital.
After coming to power for the fourth consecutive term, in a much-debated election, which hogged international limelight, Dr Hasan Mahmud, who belongs to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s inner circle was awarded the coveted portfolio of Foreign Affairs which carries much significance. Known for his pro-India tilt in a country where both India and China vie for supremacy, Dr Hasan Mahmud enjoys excellent rapport with the broad spectrum of Indian political leadership, especially so with the ruling BJP. He will also address an elite gathering of
Indian intelligencia at the Vivekananda International Foundation which is a think tank with close links with the RSS.
Although the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press release has stated that 'both sides will review the progress in wide ranging areas of bilateral relations and chart out the agenda for future engagement including sub-regional, regional and multilateral issues of common interest' it is presumed that the bourgeoning conflict situations in neighbouring Myanmar including the Rohingya refugee crisis and the Red Sea shall come up during discussion.
Dr Hasan Mahmud will conclude his visit on the 9th of February with a short trip to Kolkata, the Cultural Capital of India, a city with which he has a close bonding.
Messenger/Disha
