Modi, Shehbaz, heads of other countries in the region invited to swearing-in ceremony

About a dozen heads of government from countries in the region, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, have been invited to the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s new government, sources at BNP and the interim government have said.

Humayun Kabir, joint secretary general (international relations) of the BNP, told Indian media outlet WION in an interview yesterday that the interim government will extend invitations to heads of countries in the region for the event scheduled for Tuesday (February 17).

A foreign ministry official said the interim government has sent invitations to more than 12 heads of governments of South Asian and other Asian countries, including that of China, to the swearing-in ceremony.

However, he did not elaborate.

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Cabinet swearing-in to break tradition: To be held at Parliament instead of Bangabhaban

Humayun Kabir said the BNP government will improve bilateral relationships with India and other countries for mutual interest and out of respect.

He said Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's attendance at the funeral of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's phone call to the BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman after being elected are positive gestures of improving relations.

However, The Hindu has reported that Bangladesh has invited Narendra Modi for the swearing-in ceremony.
Modi is expected to decline the invitation, as he will be in Mumbai for bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, and then will chair the Artificial Intelligence (AI) impact summit in Delhi but is expected to depute a Minister, or another senior representative such as Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan or Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to attend in his place, the report said.