<div><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has invited his Bangladesh counterpart Dr Hasan Mahmud to visit New Delhi at a mutually convenient time.</span><br></b></div><div><br></div><div>Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma extended the invitation on behalf of the Indian External Affairs Minister on Monday.</div><div><br></div><div>Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud accepted the invitation and told him that he would visit Delhi soon. He revealed he plans his first bilateral visit to India.</div><div><br></div><div>The visit aims to further strengthen diplomatic ties, with the exact date to be decided later.</div><div><br></div><div>Additionally, Mahmud is set to embark on a multilateral tour to Uganda this week</div><div><br></div><div>The meeting with the Indian High Commissioner marked Hasan Mahmud's first diplomatic engagement since assuming the office of foreign minister.</div><div><br></div><div>He noted the successful holding of the 12th parliamentary elections in Bangladesh on January 7, which was free, fair and participatory, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.</div><div><br></div><div>He also noted that international elections observers and media who visited Dhaka to cover elections expressed their satisfaction over the election process.</div><div><br></div><div>Hasan Mahmud mentioned that BNP is resorting to arson in the name of movement and protests and no discussions can be held with ine who patronizes this kind of heinous activities.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The new foreign minister thanked the government of India and Dr. Jaisankar for their Messages of Congratulations.</div><div><br></div><div>Earlier, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar congratulated Dr Hasan Mahmud on his appointment as the new Foreign Minister of Bangladesh.</div><div><br></div><div>“Look forward to working to further deepen the India-Bangladesh Maitri (friendship),” he said in a message shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. - UNB</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>