Bangladesh PM to visit Malaysia, China on first foreign tour

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is embarking on his first foreign tour since assuming office, with planned visits to Malaysia and China. The trip, commencing Sunday with Malaysia followed by China on Monday, notably bypasses neighboring India as his inaugural destination. This diplomatic move signals a shift in regional engagement following political upheaval in Bangladesh.

The primary focus of Rahman's visit to Beijing will be trade and infrastructure projects. Discussions are expected to include potential Chinese support for the long-delayed Teesta project, which aims to restore and manage a key Bangladeshi river through dredging and embankment construction. These visits are being framed as a significant diplomatic initiative to bolster Bangladesh's economic partnerships.

Malaysia hosts a substantial Bangladeshi diaspora, with an estimated 800,000 workers forming over a third of its foreign workforce. The decision to prioritize Malaysia and China over India comes amid strained relations. Ties with India have been tense since a 2024 uprising led to the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, an ally of New Delhi. While relations have improved since Rahman's election victory in February, Hasina remains in hiding in India, and Bangladesh has sought her extradition. Border tensions have also persisted, with reports of India sending individuals deemed illegal migrants across the frontier.