By Aminul Islam Mirja, BSS, New Delhi
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Tungipara to pay homage to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during his planned Bangladesh tour in March, officials said on Saturday.
The Indian premier was scheduled to make a two-day visit to Bangladesh in March this year to join the country’s 50th Independence Day, 50th year of Dhaka-New Delhi diplomatic ties and Bangabandhu’s birth centenary celebrations.
“The tour may take him to Bangabandhu shrine at Tungipara for paying homage,” a Bangladesh high commission official told BSS on the sidelines of Bangladesh-India Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) in the Indian capital.
He said Modi’s planned Tungipara visit issue was discussed during the foreign secretary level FOC but added that details of Modi’s tour schedule was yet to be finalised.
An Indian official familiar with the FOC confirmed plans for Modi’s Tungipara visit but added that discussions on the matter was underway.
“If everything goes well, there is a strong possibility that he will visit Tungipara,” the Indian official said.
According to the officials on both sides the Indian premier will arrive Dhaka on March 26 and return home on the next day while it would be his first overseas tour since the global COVID-19 outbreak.
They said the Indian premier would join the celebrations on the first day and hold talks with his Bangladesh counterpart on the next day.
The officials said the FOC on Friday featured the entire gamut of bilateral issues including Covid-19 cooperation, security and defence affairs while Bangladesh foreign secretary Masud Bin Momen and his Indian counterpart Harsh Vardhan Shringla led their respective sides.
Momen today visited the Bagabandhu-Bapu Digital Exhibition currently on display at Vigyan Bhawan and also interacted with Indian Foreign Service Officer Trainees at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service.