Sushma's Dhaka visit deferred

The proposed visit of Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to Bangladesh in the first half of September has been deferred.

She was scheduled to attend the fourth Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission (JCC) meeting to be held in Dhaka before leaving for the US to join the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

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Sushma, who will participate in the 72nd UNGA beginning on September 12, is compelled to defer her visit to Bangladesh due to her preoccupations at home and abroad. She may lead the Indian delegation to the UNGA as Prime Minister Narendra Modi may not take part in the UNGA, diplomatic sources said.

She led the Indian delegation to the 71st UNGA in 2016.

Diplomatic sources said Sushma's visit might take place after the UNGA session.

Asked about the new date, officials of Bangladesh foreign ministry said they would try to find a date convenient for both sides.

Sources at the foreign ministry and Indian High Commission in Dhaka after a meeting between Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsh Vardhan Shringla on August 7 indicated that Sushma might visit Dhaka in the first half of September, but they could not mention the reason for deferring the visit.

On Wednesday, India's external affairs ministry in Delhi said it could confirm later whether Sushma would visit Dhaka in September to attend the JCC meeting.

Media in Bangladesh and India reported that Sushma would be visiting for the long overdue annual JCC meeting. Earlier, the JCC meeting could not be held as Sushma went on leave on medical grounds. The 3rd JCC meeting was held in New Delhi in September 2014 when Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali led a 26-member delegation.

Sushma first visited Bangladesh on June 25-27 in 2014. It was also her first overseas visit as the external affairs minister since the BJP government came to power in May 2014.