Bangladesh PM Tariq Rahman is likely to travel to Malaysia for his first official visit. This comes after he received invitation from both India and China to visit. Experts believe that Dhaka has been trying to form relations with both New Delhi and Beijing
Published: June 3, 2026, 11:50 PM IST
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Tarique Rahman will make his official visit to Malaysia. File image/PTI
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tariq Rahman, who was planning to visit China first despite receiving an invitation from India, has changed his plans. To bring the dilemma to an end, he will now be visiting Malaysia before India or China. However, there are talks of him visiting China after Malaysia to discuss the issue of the River Teesta.
India invited him first
Notably, India was the first country to invite Rahman to an official visit. Later, Malaysia and China followed suit. However Bangladesh initially considered China, but later decided against the option, choosing to visit Malaysia first.
According to a Times of India report, citing sources, Rahman is travelling to Malaysia to avoid any signs of a shift. This is why he has decided to also ignore China’s invitation. He had been planning to visit China between June 20th and 26th despite an invitation from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Does Bangladesh want to keep the peace with India?
As per a report by Bangladesh newspaper Pratham Alo, sources say the government was cautious in deciding which country the PM would visit first. Sources said the idea of a third country appealed better than creating competition between India and China.
In fact, according to industry experts, Rahman’s first visit was meant to showcase the new government’s foreign policy priorities. In this context, Rahman’s visit to Malaysia is being seen as an attempt to strike a balance.
Why was Malaysia considered?
An official stated, “A number of dates are under discussion. It is likely that PM will visit Malaysia from June 21-22 before he travels to Beijing.” He further stressed that his schedule is yet to be confirmed as “June 18 is also being considered”. Earlier, Tarique was expected to travel to Beijing from June 20-26, despite a pending invitation from PM Narendra Modi and Bhutan initially being chosen as the destination of his first foreign tour.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had extended an invitation to Tarique in April, while also expressing Malaysia’s interest in strengthening ties across multiple areas. According to sources, a visit to Malaysia as Tarique’s first bilateral trip abroad could potentially help reduce tensions in India-Bangladesh relations, which have remained strained following Sheikh Hasina’s removal from power.
