DHAKA, Jan 20, 2024 (BSS) - Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today held his maiden bilateral meeting with his Indian counterpart Dr. S. Jaishankar on the sidelines of the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) currently being held in Kampala, Uganda.

"Both the leaders discussed various issues of mutual interests and ways to carry forward the existing excellent bilateral relations between the two countries," said a foreign ministry press release here this evening.

While Dr. Jaishankar congratulated Dr. Hasan Mahmud in his new role as Foreign Minister, they also discussed about the upcoming visit of Bangladesh Foreign Minister to New Delhi, it added.
 
"India-Bangladesh relations are growing from strength to strength," Jaishankar wrote in his X handle (former tweeter) after the meeting.
 
"Look forward to receiving him (Hasan) in Delhi soon," he wrote. 

Jaishankar also wrote that he is glad to meet with his new Bangladesh counterpart, Hasan Mahmud in Kampala, Uganda.

"Congratulated him on his appointment and wished him all success," the Indian external affairs minister wrote in X handle. 

Bangladesh foreign minister is scheduled to visit New Delhi on February 7 as his first official bilateral tour. 

"I am going for tour of India on February 7 at the invitation of honourable Indian external affair minister," he told the reporters in Dhaka on Thursday.
 
 The foreign minister said that he might be stayed in New Delhi for three days.

"The tour agendas or itinerary is yet to ready ... but we have discussed that I will go on February 7," he added.

Currently, Mahmud is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) scheduled for January 19-20, 2024 and the Third South Summit of the G77 and China scheduled for January 21-22, 2024. 

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Bangladesh Permanent Representative to the UN Muhammad A Muhith and Bangladesh High Commissioner to Kenya and Uganda among an others are accompanying the Foreign Minister.