Chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus is likely to visit China, Thailand and Japan 鈥� respectively in March, April and May as part of his global outreach and strengthening ties and building stronger relationships across countries through cooperation and partnerships, officials said.
Yunus is likely to leave Dhaka on March 26 for China after attending the Independence Day programme as both the countries are looking forward to a bilateral meeting on March 28 in Beijing between the two leaders 鈥� CA Yunus and Chinese president Xi Jinping.
On August 25 last year, Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen conveyed the Chinese leadership鈥檚 invitation to Yunus to visit China at his convenience.
鈥楾he visit is taking place, as of now. Chief adviser Dr Yunus is likely to leave Dhaka on March 26,鈥� a senior official told UNB, noting that preparations were underway.
Yunus is likely to travel to Beijing from China鈥檚 Hainan province for bilateral talks with Xi Jinping on March 28, officials working on the visit said, adding that things were yet to be finalised.
As per the plans, the chief adviser will first attend the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference 2025 which will be held from March 25 to 28 in Boao, south China鈥檚 Hainan province.
BFA secretary general Zhang Jun said that with the theme 鈥楢sia in the changing World: Towards a shared Future,鈥� this year鈥檚 event would focus on development, foster dialogue, explore innovative formats and value tangible outcomes, all aimed at promoting international development and cooperation.
Many heads of international and regional organisations, ministerial-level officials, entrepreneurs of Fortune Global 500, and renowned experts and scholars had already confirmed their participation in the annual conference, Zhang said.
Thailand will host the 6th Summit of Bimstec in Bangkok and Bangladesh will take responsibility as its next chair on April 4. Before the Summit, there will be a ministerial meeting on April 3.
The chief adviser is likely to attend the Summit and there is a possibility to see a first-ever in-person meeting between Yunus and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the Summit, a diplomatic source told UNB.
Secretary general of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Indra Mani Pandey said that Bangladesh, as the next chair of the regional organisation, would have an opportunity to 鈥榬e-demonstrate to the world鈥� its commitment to regional cooperation by leading the organisation with broader initiatives in diverse areas.
Yunus said that Dhaka had always insisted that Bangladesh鈥檚 relationship with India would be the best relationship ever. Because, the fate of Bangladesh and India was tied together and they could not be isolated from each other.
In February this year, Japanese parliamentary vice-minister for foreign affairs Ikuina Akiko invited Yunus to visit Japan for the Nikkei 30th Future of Asia event to be held on May 29-30 in Tokyo.
She also invited Yunus, a recipient of the Nikkei Asia Prize in 2004, for Osaka Expo 2025, a separate event, to be held in May.
Officials said that the chief adviser would attend the Nikkei 30th Future of Asia event and both sides were working to arrange a bilateral meeting between Yunus and Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba.