New Delhi:
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Bangladesh on September 6 and 7. The announcement comes days after the Prime Minister's controversial remark that a quarter of all Bangladeshis were influenced by the Jamaat and close to the ISI.
Dr Singh today spoke to the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the phone and told her "how much he was looking forward to the visit."
(Read: PM talks with Sheikh Hasina on the phone)External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said the Prime Minister's remark last week was a miscommunication. "Sometimes the way we report, such confusion could come up, especially when one is quoted off-the-record, whatever was said, was supposed to have been said, but I know as a matter of fact the deep and abiding friendship the PM has for the people of Bangladesh, the Government of Bangladesh and the leadership of Bangladesh.
During the interaction with the editors earlier this week, Dr Singh had said "at least 25 per cent of the population of Bangladesh swear by the Jamiat-ul-Islami and they are very anti-Indian and they are in the clutches, many times, of the ISI."
(Read: Transcript of PM's Q&A session with editors) The Prime Minister's remarks were intended to be off the record but figured in the official transcript of the interaction between Singh and the editors. The remarks were later deleted from the official transcript, but sparked strong reactions in Bangladesh.
(Read: Prime Minister's Bangladesh remarks removed from PMO website)
Briefing reporters in New Delhi, Mr Krishna today said, "My visit would be preparatory to that of our Prime Minister. I propose to review progress in the entire gamut of our bilateral relations with my interlocutors."
The Indian Foreign Minister's visit, that begins on Wednesday, will include meetings with President of Bangladesh Zillur Rahman, Prime Minster Sheikh Hasina besides holding talks with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni. He will also meet Finance Minister AMA Muhith and Leader of the Opposition Begum Khaleda Zia.
(With PTI inputs)