Indian President Ram Nath Kovind is scheduled to make a three-day state visit to Bangladesh, from December 15 to 17, on the occasion of the 50th Victory Day, as per an official announcement by the Indian External Affairs Ministry.
Making the announcement today, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the upcoming visit of Kovind “on this historic occasion is a reflection of the high priority that both countries attach to the bilateral relationship”.
This would be Kovind’s first visit to Bangladesh since assuming the top constitutional post in 2017.
President Kovind’s visit “also reaffirms the shared desire of both countries to further consolidate and strengthen the multifaceted and irreversible partnership based on historical and cultural ties, mutual trust and understanding,” the MEA said.
During the visit, the Indian President will hold a delegation-level meeting with his Bangladeshi counterpart Abdul Hamid, reports our New Delhi correspondent.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen are expected to call on Kovind.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had paid a state visit to Bangladesh from March 26 to 27 to join the celebrations of the golden jubilee of the independence of Bangladesh, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and 50 years of diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh.
The MEA described Bangladesh as “a major pillar” of India’s neighbourhood first policy and said the two countries “share progressive, comprehensive and substantial cooperation in diverse areas ranging from security, border management and defence, water resources, trade, transport and connectivity, health, culture and people-to-people ties, energy and power to development partnership and sub-regional cooperation”.
Both the countries have closely cooperated in addressing challenges during the Covid-19 pandemic.