FM Hasan reaches New Delhi on 3-day visit
Dhaka expects that the long pending Teesta water sharing issue would be discussed during his visit.
Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud will reach New Delhi tonight on a three-day bilateral visit to India at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar.
This will be Hasan's first bilateral visit abroad as foreign minister after swearing in of the new government in Bangladesh.
"The visit reflects the high importance and priority both countries attach to their bilateral relationship," according to a statement issued by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) this evening.
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During the visit, Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud will hold bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar when both the leaders will "review the progress in wide-ranging areas of bilateral relations and chart out the agenda for future engagement".
They will also exchange views on sub-regional, regional and multilateral issues of common interest, the MEA statement said.
However, media reports said the visit, aimed at advancing ties and strategising future cooperation, reflects a commitment to strengthen the relationship between the two nations.
"The visit will be about building on work done by India and Bangladesh in recent years for trade, economic and energy connectivity, and preparing plans for cooperation in the future," The Hindustan Times reported quoting official sources.
During the visit, a wide range of bilateral and regional issues covering trade and business, energy cooperation, connectivity and security aspects would come up in the discussion of the two foreign ministers.
Besides, Dhaka expects that the long pending Teesta water sharing issue would be discussed during the meeting, Bangladesh foreign ministry spokesperson Seheli Sabrin quoted as saying recently.
Diplomatic sources however, said that apart from his bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart, Dr Mahmud will deliver a special lecture organised by Vivekananda International Foundation on "Bangladesh- India Relations in the Last Decade" on Thursday morning.
He will also give another lecture organised by Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia (FCC, South Asia) on "Bangladesh-India Relations Today" on Thursday evening.
Apart from this, he is expected to pay a call on Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval during his visit.
He will leave Delhi for Kolkata on Friday morning after wrapping up his three-day visit.
In Kolkata, the minister will attend a programme at the Kolkata Press Club on Friday afternoon and later join at a reception to be organised by Deputy High Commission in Kolkata in honour of the minister, diplomatic sources confirmed.
