Bangladesh Foreign Minister discusses regional security cooperation with NSA Ajit Doval

Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Hasan Mahmud, met with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and the two leaders held discussions on exploring avenues for enhanced regional cooperation to ensure security and foster greater stability not only within the region but also beyond.

“Hon’ble Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud, MP met Shri. Ajit Doval, KC, National Security Adviser of India today in New Delhi. They discussed ways and means of regional cooperation for ensuring regional security and maintaining greater stability in the region and beyond,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh, said in a post on X.

The Bangladeshi Foreign Minister arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday.

“A warm welcome to FM @DrHasanMahmud62 of Bangladesh on his first official visit to India,” the official spokesperson of MEA, Randhir Jaiswal, wrote on X.

“India-Bangladesh’s strong partnership will get further impetus with this significant visit,” he said.

Mahmud is visiting India at the invitation of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

Notably, this is Mahmud’s first foreign visit after being sworn into the new Bangladesh government following Sheikh Hasina’s historic victory, securing a consecutive fourth term as Prime Minister.

“The visit reflects the high importance and priority both countries attach to their bilateral relationship,” the MEA said.

During his February 7-9 visit to the country, Bangladeshi minister Hasan Mahmud will meet and hold talks with Jaishankar, where they will review progress in a wide range of bilateral relations and chart out the agenda for future engagement.

They will also exchange views on sub-regional, regional, and multilateral issues of common interest, the MEA said.

Earlier this January, Jaishankar met his Bangladesh counterpart Mahmud on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Kampala, Uganda.

Mahmud said he had valuable talks with Jaishankar to strengthen India-Bangladesh ties.

Jaishankar earlier congratulated Mahmud on his appointment and said he “looks forward to receiving him in Delhi soon.”

Hasan Mahmud, who hails from Chittagong in the southeast of Bangladesh, served as Deputy Foreign Minister during Sheikh Hasina’s second term during 2009-2014.

Hasina’s party, the Awami League, secured 223 seats to form the government in the elections held on January 7. The Awami League government named its 36-member cabinet after President Mohammad Shahabuddin invited them to form the government.

The elections were held amid tensions, as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and like-minded parties observed a strike across the country as they boycotted the elections.