External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has met the High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Riaz Hamidullah, signifying the Centre's continuing efforts to improve ties with the country after the new government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took charge.
Hamidullah met a senior cabinet minister for the first time since taking charge in May last year.
"Privileged to pay Courtesy Call on to EAM and affirmed #Bangladesh's readiness to walk | work (sic) with #India, together, in shared interests and for shared benefits," Riaz Hamidullah said in a post on X on Fridat.
Jaishankar also posted about the meeting, writing, "Met with High Commissioner @hamidullah_riaz of Bangladesh. Our conversation was focused on advancing our bilateral ties."
India and Bangladesh have been laying the foundation for more high-level engagements and sources have told NDTV that discussions are being held on a possible visit by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman to India in the second week of April.
Rahman is scheduled to attend the ministerial-level conference of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in Mauritius, and his Delhi visit is being planned alongside this. He studied at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and is seen as someone with a good understanding of India.
Khalilur Rahman had also visited India in November as Bangladesh's national security adviser in the interim government under Muhammad Yunus. He was appointed foreign minister after Tarique Rahman took charge in February this year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the first leader from the region to congratulate Tarique Rahman on his victory, has already invited the Bangladesh prime minister to visit Delhi.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who had attended Rahman's swearing-in ceremony, had met the prime minister and handed over a personal letter from PM Modi conveying his wishes and inviting him to visit.
