Tshering Tobgay Bhutan's Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay will arrive in Dhaka tomorrow (Saturday) on a three-day official visit that is expected to deepen bilateral cooperation and lay the groundwork for new economic and regional partnerships between the two Himalayan neighbours.
Tobgay will meet Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, on the first day of his visit for one-on-one talks followed by delegation-level discussions, officials said on Thursday.
The two sides are preparing to sign between two and three agreements or memorandums of understanding covering areas ranging from trade and investment to connectivity, education, tourism and cultural cooperation.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam, speaking at a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, confirmed that several advisers to the interim government -- including Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain - would also meet the Bhutanese leader. "The visit carries significant potential for advancing bilateral relations," he said.
Officials say the agenda for the talks is broad. The two leaders are expected to discuss strengthening cooperation under SAARC and BIMSTEC frameworks, the deteriorating situation in Myanmar, and Bhutan's possible support in advancing the stalled Rohingya repatriation process. Climate change, one of the core areas of shared concern for both countries, is also likely to feature in the talks prominently.
A senior government official said the Chief Adviser would brief Tobgay on the interim administration's preparations for the national election planned for February, part of Dhaka's effort to reassure regional partners about political stability after the tumultuous transition earlier this year.
Education cooperation remains a pillar of bilateral ties: Bangladesh currently offers 22 medical scholarships annually for Bhutanese students, and Dhaka is considering increasing this number at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, according to foreign ministry officials.
Tobgay's upcoming visit follows his meeting with the Chief Adviser in New York in September on the margins of the UN General Assembly, where he expressed interest in signing a free trade agreement with Bangladesh. He also proposed linking Bhutan's ambitious Gelephu Mindfulness City special economic zone with Bangladesh's special economic zone in Kurigram to boost investment flows.
Bhutan's previous prime minister, Lotay Tshering, last visited Dhaka in 2021 to mark Bangladesh's 50th year of independence -- a reminder of the unusually warm ties between the two countries, with Bhutan being the first state to recognise Bangladesh in 1971.
The weekend visit is expected to reaffirm this longstanding relationship while signalling a renewed push for regional cooperation at a moment of shifting geopolitical dynamics in South Asia.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com
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