Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to embark on his first overseas trip since taking office, with Bangladesh and China expected to sign up to 17 bilateral instruments and hold discussions on the long-stalled Teesta River project during the visit.
The prime minister will begin a two-nation tour on Sunday, travelling first to Malaysia and then to China, in what officials describe as a major diplomatic push aimed at deepening economic cooperation, attracting investment and strengthening regional connectivity.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said Bangladesh and China are expected to sign between 15 and 17 instruments during the visit, including 13 memorandums of understanding (MoUs), two agreements, an action plan and a protocol.
Significantly, discussions on the Teesta project, a long-pending issue in Bangladesh-China cooperation, are also expected to feature during the high-level engagements.
Tarique is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Thursday and meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday.
The China leg of the visit comes amid Dhaka’s efforts to expand cooperation in infrastructure, technology, connectivity and development, while also seeking greater Chinese investment.
Before arriving in China, the prime minister will visit Malaysia at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, where discussions are expected to focus on trade, labour migration and investment opportunities.
During his stay in China, Tarique will also attend the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, commonly known as the Summer Davos Forum, in Dalian.
More than 1,700 participants from over 90 countries are expected to attend the gathering, which will focus on innovation, technology and global economic trends.
Foreign ministry officials said the delegations accompanying the prime minister have been kept relatively small, reflecting what they described as a focused and results-oriented approach.
The visit is being closely watched as an early test of the new government’s foreign policy priorities and its efforts to strengthen ties with two key Asian economic partners.
