Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has accepted an invitation to visit Bangladesh, extended by the interim government's Foreign Affairs Adviser, Md Touhid Hossain.
Earlier this week, during the Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat, Oman, Touhid Hossain met with Jaishankar and formally invited him to Dhaka. Speaking to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday (February 20), Touhid Hossain confirmed the invitation and Jaishankar's positive response.
"I invited him, pointing out that while we have already held talks at the foreign secretary level, there is also a mechanism for ministerial discussions. Our foreign minister visited India last time, so it is now your turn to visit Dhaka. If you confirm a date, we will make the necessary arrangements," he stated.
When asked about Jaishankar's reaction, he said, "He responded positively."
Regarding Bangladesh-India relations under the interim government, Touhid Hossain acknowledged initial tensions but emphasized that business activities have resumed and reached previous levels. "Some challenges remain, such as visa-related issues, but both sides agree that we must work towards resolving them and establishing a strong working relationship," he added.
On whether discussions were held regarding the return of Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, currently in India, the adviser clarified, "There was no specific discussion on that. We talked about all matters in general."
When asked if diplomatic ties would move forward without Sheikh Hasina, he responded, "It's not about excluding her. The court has requested her return, and we have formally asked India to facilitate it. While India has not yet complied, that does not mean we will put everything else on hold."
