About twelve heads of state from regional countries, such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, have received invitations to attend the inauguration of Bangladesh’s new government, sources within the BNP and interim government have revealed.
Humayun Kabir, the BNP’s joint secretary general for international relations, disclosed in an interview with Indian media outlet WION that the interim government plans to invite regional leaders to the event scheduled for Tuesday, February 17.
A foreign ministry official confirmed that invitations have been dispatched to over 12 heads of state from South Asian and other Asian nations, including China, for the swearing-in ceremony. However, specific details were not provided.
Kabir expressed the BNP government’s commitment to enhancing bilateral ties with India and other nations based on mutual interests and respect. He highlighted positive gestures such as Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s presence at former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s funeral and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s phone call to BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman post-election as steps towards improving relations.
While reports suggest that Bangladesh has extended an invitation to Narendra Modi for the inauguration, Modi is expected to decline due to prior commitments in Mumbai for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron and chairing the Artificial Intelligence (AI) impact summit in Delhi. However, it is anticipated that a Minister or another senior representative, such as Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan or Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, will attend on his behalf.
