Indian Foreign Secretary Shringla due in Dhaka tomorrow

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will undertake a two-day visit to Dhaka from tomorrow with the primary objective of doing the spadework for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit for attending Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary celebrations on March 17.

During his stay in Dhaka, Shringla will call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Foreign Secretary Masud bin Momen. He will also address a seminar being organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Strategic Studies.

The Indian foreign secretary's visit will be the first high-level contact between the two countries since the controversy over CAA/NRC created rough edges on the otherwise burgeoning bilateral ties covering a diverse range of areas.

Hasina has invited Modi along with other world leaders for the launch of 'Mujib Borsho'. The Indian PM is expected to deliver the keynote address at the function on March 17 when former Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Congress President Sonia Gandhi will also be present.

Modi may use his visit to Dhaka to discuss some new markers in a proposed movement in bilateral relations like a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), giving a push to defence cooperation for which India announced a 500-million dollar line of credit during Hasina's visit to India in April, 2017, and more connectivity projects.

The issues are also likely to figure in Shringla's talks with Bangladeshi leaders and officials.