PM to visit Japan, Türkiye, KSA
Dhaka is considering possible high-level visits by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Japan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia in October and November following what officials described as his highly successful and fruitful visit to New York.
Officials said Dhaka is considering separate invitations from Japan and Saudi Arabia for bilateral visits by the Prime Minister, while Tarique Rahman has also been invited to attend COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20.
The possible overseas engagements would come after the Prime Minister held a series of high-level meetings in New York with world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir met Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on September 25 on the sidelines of the UNGA session in New York.
They discussed COP31, including the possible participation of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, according to a senior official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Türkiye is scheduled to host COP31 in Antalya from November 9 to 20, bringing climate diplomacy into focus as Bangladesh continues to highlight its vulnerability to climate change and the need for greater international support.
Japan has separately invited Tarique Rahman to pay an official visit at a mutually convenient time, with Tokyo reaffirming its commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations with Dhaka.
According to preliminary discussions, the Prime Minister may visit Japan in the last week of October, although diplomatic sources stressed that no dates have yet been finalised.
The proposed Japan visit would provide an opportunity for the two sides to discuss economic cooperation, energy security and other areas of mutual interest.
In April, Bangladesh welcomed a Japan-led initiative aimed at addressing energy issues more efficiently in the Asian region, stressing that countries need to work together because no single country can resolve the challenges alone.
Tarique Rahman participated in an online meeting on the issue at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Saudi Arabia has also invited the Bangladesh Prime Minister for a bilateral visit.
Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud invited Tarique Rahman to visit the Kingdom to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and international issues.
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Zafer H bin Abiyah handed over the invitation letter to Tarique Rahman during a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Secretariat last month.
In the letter, the Saudi Crown Prince expressed Saudi Arabia’s keenness to further strengthen relations with Bangladesh in areas of mutual interest, with the aim of meeting the aspirations of the two countries and their peoples.
The Prime Minister may visit Saudi Arabia in November if Dhaka and Riyadh agree on mutually convenient dates.
The possible visits would further expand Bangladesh’s diplomatic engagement with key partners in Asia, the Middle East and beyond following Tarique Rahman’s intensive programme in New York.
During four working days in New York, the Prime Minister met the heads of state or government of seven countries alongside his participation in the 81st UN General Assembly.
Those leaders included Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.
The meetings covered bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues, providing an opportunity for Bangladesh to engage directly with a wide range of governments.
A possible visit to India has also been discussed in diplomatic and media circles. A section of Indian media has reported that Tarique Rahman may visit India in November or early December, while Dhaka is understood to be looking for what officials describe as a propitious environment for a bilateral visit.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi said last month that he remained hopeful that a visit by Tarique Rahman to India would take place much sooner.
“Issues can only be sorted out by meeting, and I am very hopeful,” he said, adding that the two countries’ “hearts are very close” and expressing his desire to see a golden chapter in Bangladesh-India relations.
However, no official date has been announced for a possible India visit.
If the proposed engagements materialise, Tarique Rahman’s diplomatic calendar in the coming months could include bilateral visits to Japan and Saudi Arabia, participation in the UN climate conference in Türkiye and potentially a visit to India.
