Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla plans Dhaka trip to prepare for President Ram Nath Kovind's visit

Foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla is planning to visit Dhaka on December 7-8 to discuss a host of bilateral issues, including preparations for President Ram Nath Kovind's trip to Bangladesh from December 15-17 on the occasion of 50 years of its creation as well as the establishment of diplomatic ties.

This will be the first visit by the 14th President of India to Bangladesh. Bangladesh is celebrating the Golden Jubilee of its Independence and the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The two countries also decided to commemorate December 6 as "Maitri Divas" (Friendship Day), the day when India recognised Bangladesh in 1971, across the world capitals.

On March 26-27, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid a state visit to Bangladesh to join the celebrations of its Golden Jubilee of Independence, the birth centenary of Rahman and 50 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh. Bangladesh is also expecting high-level participation from Bhutan.


Shringla's trip will focus on the preparation of Kovind's itinerary in Dhaka besides discussions on a host of development and cross-border projects, including health cooperation as well as regional developments, sources told ET.

This is the first visit by a senior official to Dhaka since communal tensions during Durga Puja threatened to cast a shadow over ties. However, both New Delhi and Dhaka have handled the partnership in a mature way amid a crackdown by the Sheikh Hasina-led government against Pakistan-backed elements who initiated tensions.