State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Thursday said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visits to India and Japan have not yet been finalised, saying the timing will depend on the Prime Minister's schedule and the progress of discussions between the countries.
"The government is busy, the Prime Minister is busy," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, referring to the government's ongoing domestic programmes and upcoming constitutional activities.
Asked whether the Prime Minister would attend the upcoming BRICS Summit's outreach session or make a bilateral visit, the State Minister said there is still sufficient time to make a decision. "A lot can happen in a month," she said.
Shama Obaed said the Prime Minister is currently occupied with various activities at home and that none of the other proposed visits including the India visit has been finalised yet.
"If everything fits together, then of course there will be a visit to India, a visit to Japan, all the visits will happen," the State Minister said.
She said the visits would depend on "the timing of the Prime Minister and how much progress the talks between the two countries are making."
Elaborating on the domestic situation, Shama Obaed said the presidential election of Bangladesh will be held soon and the parliament session will resume.
“We have many programmes domestically in Bangladesh that are being worked on. But there are many constitutional tasks ahead. So from that point on, the government is busy, the Prime Minister is busy,” she said.
Asked whether a possible visit by the Prime Minister to India could help ease tensions in bilateral relations, the State Minister said direct communication between the heads of the two governments could provide an opportunity to address outstanding issues. "Whenever the heads of two countries talk, there is a chance of resolving many problems. That opportunity is there, it remains."
The State Minister also urged India to make use of such an opportunity. "And India should also make good use of that opportunity," she said.
The State Minister said public sentiment in Bangladesh should also be taken into consideration, particularly in the context of the July incident.
"We have already said that when a convicted person speaks from Indian soil, the people of Bangladesh will not take it well," she said.
"The July incident is still fresh in people's minds, the blood stains have not dried yet. So we must be sensitive from that point of view," Shama Obaed said.
"But anytime the heads of the two countries sit, when the prime ministers of the two countries sit, then of course many problems can be solved and that is what we hope," she said. "And that is also what we hope that India remembers," the State Minister said.
Asked specifically about the proposed visit to Japan, the State Minister said no date had yet been fixed. "The date and time have not been decided yet. It is a time for both our countries, a suitable time will be decided," she said.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday and shared the message he carried from Dhaka after his three important meetings with the Bangladesh leadership.
Trivedi sought guidance from the Indian Prime Minister on further strengthening the multifaceted and enduring relationship between the two neighbours in a constructive manner with a people-centric approach, the source said.
The High Commissioner is expected to return to Dhaka on Friday, a diplomatic source told UNB.
Responding to a question during a regular briefing on Tuesday in New Delhi, Spokesperson at the Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said they had earlier in February invited the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to visit India.
“And, subsequent to that, we have also invited the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to visit India for the BRICS summit. On both these invitations, I will give you an update as and when I have,” Jaiswal said.
The Indian High Commissioner reached New Delhi on Monday after holding three meetings in Dhaka, which were seen as further consultations amid efforts to engage constructively to take forward relations between the two neighbours.
He had separate courtesy meetings with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at the Secretariat on Monday.
The High Commissioner also met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Sunday at State Guest House Padma.
During the courtesy meeting with the Prime Minister, Dinesh Trivedi conveyed greetings from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tarique Rahman and the intent to work together with the government and the people of Bangladesh in a "positive, constructive and forward-looking" manner.
They exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and discussed avenues for further strengthening bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh with a people-centric approach.
During his meeting with Home Minister Salahuddin, they discussed areas of common interest, including security cooperation between the two countries and ways to further strengthen bilateral relations.
The High Commissioner conveyed India’s willingness to strengthen people-centric cooperation in all domains, based on mutual interest, mutual benefit, and mutual sensitivities.