Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina may visit India within days of new Govt here

The first high-profile visit to India after the Lok Sabha polls could be undertaken by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, underscoring the strong cross-border partnership between the two countries.

This was hinted by Bangladesh foreign minister Hasan Mahmud in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Hasina may reportedly visit India in June, within days of the formation of the new government here. If her trip materialises, it would also mark her first visit to India after her victory in the national election on January 7 for the fourth straight term.


India-Bangladesh relations have strengthened over the past decade, with several cross-border initiatives, and Hasina's proposed trip could add fresh momentum to ties, according to experts.

"Having largely settled the outstanding issues (boundary, security, transit, etc.), the relationship has attained for the first time a level of sustainability and viability," Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a former foreign secretary and envoy to Bangladesh, told ET. "This contemporary construct has been given shape by the clear and decisive leadership exercised by Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina. It would be important for the two sides to continue to maintain the forward momentum by widening the areas of existing cooperation and introducing new initiatives."

While China has funded certain projects in Bangladesh, the country has not allowed itself to be in Chinese debt like Sri Lanka and Maldives. A trilateral has emerged between India, Bangladesh and Japan for regional connectivity and value chains. Nepal and Bangladesh are planning to be in power trade via the Indian territory.