Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri arrived here on Monday morning to hold a several meetings in Dhaka, including Foreign Office Consultations, which is seen as an opportunity to address mutual concerns. Ishrat Jahan, Director General (South Asia wing) received the Indian Foreign Secretary upon his arrival in Dhaka. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma was also present. Foreign Secretary Misri and his Bangladesh counterpart, Md Jashim Uddin, will lead their respective delegation at the Bangladesh-India Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) today. After the FOC, the Indian foreign secretary is scheduled to meet Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain this afternoon. He is also likely to meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus today. Adviser Hossain on Sunday expressed optimism that Bangladesh and India would be able to overcome the kind of stalemate that two neighbouring countries witnessed over the last couple of months. “We expect that we will be able to overcome this impasse. Establishing mutual communication and meeting each other are very important to overcome any such stalemate,” he said. Read: Indian Foreign Secretary arrives Monday for key talks amid strained ties Speaking at a seminar at the Jatiya Press Club, Hossain said, “I hope they (foreign secretaries) will have a fruitful discussion." He said it is also important to note that the relations between Bangladesh and India witnessed changes after August 5 and both sides need to try and take forward the relations accepting this changed reality. The downturn that the two countries witnessed over the last few months in terms of bilateral business activities affected both Bangladesh and India, not just Bangladesh got affected, said the Adviser. This is the first visit made by a senior Indian government official to Bangladesh since the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, came to power on August 8. The FOC led by the foreign secretaries is a structured engagement between Bangladesh and India. Spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) Mohammad Rafiqul Alam said there are always efforts to keep all the elements of the bilateral relations on agenda. Read more: Foreign Secretary discusses student visa backlog with German Ambassador He, however, said there are some broad areas - trade, border management, connectivity, and water issues - and these will be discussed.

The bilateral talks between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih have started at the President’s Office here. On her arrival at the President’s Office, Hasina was formally received by President Solih. Read: ‘Channeled my pain into building Bangladesh’: Hasina A red carpet was rolled out to receive Sheikh Hasina as she is on her maiden bilateral visit to the Maldives. She was also given guard of honour and gun salute. The Prime Minister also visited the line of presentation of both the countries. Four instruments are going to be signed between Bangladesh and Maldives on health, education, dual taxation, transfer of prisoners, youth and sports following the talks. 

The bilateral talks between Bangladesh and India have started at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is leading the Bangladesh delegation at the meeting while visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading his side. The meeting began around 5:40 pm. Also read: Hasina-Modi Talks: Focus on connectivity, trade, health Before the formal talks, the two leaders also had a tête-à-tête for some time. Earlier, on his arrival at the PMO, the Indian Prime Minister was received by his Bangladeshi counterpart at the Tiger Gate of the Prime Minister’s Office. Meanwhile, at least five MoUs are likely to be signed after the bilateral meeting, according to Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen. He said the MoUs are aimed at strengthening cooperation in various sectors of the two neighbouring countries. Also read: FM discusses bilateral, connectivity issues with Modi They will inaugurate some joint projects virtually and witness the signing of the MoUs between the two countries after the talks. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived here on Friday morning on a two-day official visit to attend the celebrations of the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of the country’s independence. Also read: Ideologies, forces behind inhuman acts remains active: Modi

Bangladesh and Nepal on Monday signed four Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) to enhance cooperation between the two countries in tourism, sanitation, cultural exchange and railways link.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on Saturday agreed to deepen their cooperation in various sectors, especially exploring newer avenues in trade and commerce, as the bilateral trade of the two countries are far less than its potential. The consensus came at the official bilateral talks between the Prime Ministers of the two countries held at the Prime Minister’s Office here where the two leaders led their respective sides. PM’s press secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed reporters after the meeting.

Bangladesh and the Maldives will hold bilateral talks on Tuesday to find ways to strengthen the relations between the two countries, giving a focus on trade and investment and the welfare of Bangladeshi workers in the Maldives.

Bangladesh and Hungary will discuss ways to strengthen trade and investment ties between two countries at bilateral talks to be held here on Thursday afternoon.

President Abdul Hamid urged his Uruguayan counterpart Luis Lacalle Pou to encourage his country’s entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh’s potent  sectors such as energy, ICT and infrastructure.

Dhaka, July 7 (UNB) – Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Sunday hoped that manpower export to Malaysia will reopen in August next as Kuala Lumpur is working on a “comprehensive understanding” to recruit workers afresh.