Touhid, Jaishankar likely to hold talks in Muscat
Staff Correspondent
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain is likely to hold a bilateral talk with Indian External Affair Minister Dr S jaishankar on the sideline of Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat be held from February 16-17.
“Honourable foreign adviser is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart in Muscat,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Rafiqul Alam said at the weekly media briefing this afternoon.
In response to a question, the spokesperson said the agenda of the bilateral talks is yet to finalize.
Oman’s Foreign Minister and India's External Affairs Minister have invited Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser to participate in the conference, to be jointly organized by Indian and Oman’s foreign ministries.
Apart from meeting with his Indian counterpart, Alam said, the foreign adviser is also likely to hold meeting with key political leaders of the Omani government and other participating countries.
The spokesperson said that this year's conference agenda includes discussions on maritime partnerships, amplifying the voice of the Global South, protecting maritime economic interests, and strengthening maritime supply chains, among other topics.
The Foreign Affairs Adviser is expected to participate in the plenary session on strengthening maritime supply chains, he added.
The conference has been held since 2016 while Bangladesh hosted the 6th edition in 2023.
Through constructive discussions with participating countries, Alam said that the conference aims to pave the way for enhanced cooperation in addressing challenges in the region.
Hossain departed Dhaka last evening for Dubai, accompanying Chief Adviser Professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus to attend the “World Government Summit 2025” in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“From Dubai, the Foreign Affairs Adviser will travel to Muscat on February 14 to join the Indian Ocean Conference,” an official from the foreign ministry confirmed BSS on Wednesday.
Hossain is expected to return home on February 18 after attending the conference in the capital of Oman.
