Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to leave for Malaysia today on an official visit at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, before travelling directly to China on a second bilateral tour.
A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying the premier is scheduled to depart Dhaka for Kuala Lumpur in the afternoon.
Briefing reporters at the foreign ministry ahead of the two-nation visit, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said Bangladesh and China are expected to sign 15 to 17 bilateral instruments during the prime minister’s China tour, including 13 memorandums of understanding (MoUs), two agreements, one action plan and one protocol.
He said the long-awaited Teesta project would also come up for discussion during the China visit.
“This is the first overseas visit by the prime minister since the government assumed office in February this year,” Siam said, adding that the delegations for the Malaysia and China visits have been kept relatively small, with 27 to 28 members each.
He described the tours as a major diplomatic initiative aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s economic partnerships, attracting foreign investment and enhancing regional connectivity.
During the China visit, Tarique is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on June 25 and meet President Xi Jinping on June 26.
He will also attend the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, in Dalian, Liaoning Province, from June 23 to 25.
The forum, themed “Innovating at Scale”, is expected to bring together more than 1,700 participants from over 90 countries and regions to discuss global economic trends, technological advancement and innovation-driven growth.
Officials said the Malaysia leg of the tour would focus on trade, labour market cooperation and investment opportunities, while the China visit would highlight cooperation in infrastructure, technology, connectivity and development sectors.
The prime minister is expected to return home on Friday night.
FP/A
Dutch swat Sweden as Germany, Ivory Coast eye World Cup knockout rounds
PM to leave for Malaysia today
Seven more children die with measles symptoms
Actor Alvi sent to jail upon surrender in case over wife’s death
EU extends €14m support for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh
Brazil beat Haiti 3-0 in FIFA World Cup Group C
PM to visit China on Monday
Bangladeshi funds in Swiss banks jump 42% in 2025
