Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman Chooses Malaysia and China for First Foreign Visit, Bypasses India

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has selected Malaysia and China as the destinations for his first official foreign visit since taking office, a move that stands out as it skips India — a country that Bangladeshi leaders have traditionally chosen for their inaugural overseas trip. Rahman began his visit to Malaysia on June 21, 2026, before heading to China the following day. The choice of destinations is being seen as a clear indication of Dhaka's current foreign policy direction.

During his two-day stay in Malaysia, the agenda is expected to cover trade ties, energy cooperation, semiconductor technology, and opportunities for Bangladeshi workers. Malaysia is home to roughly 800,000 Bangladeshi workers, making up more than one-third of the country's overseas labour force. The China leg of the trip is a four-day visit, during which Rahman is scheduled to attend the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions — often called 'Summer Davos' — and hold meetings with top Chinese leadership.

Bangladesh and China are expected to sign up to 17 bilateral agreements during the visit, including memoranda of understanding across multiple sectors and a joint action plan. Key agenda items include the long-pending Teesta river restoration project — involving dredging and embankment construction — to be executed with Chinese support, and the modernisation of Mongla port with Chinese participation. Bangladesh is also expected to formally join China's Global Development Initiative, a foreign policy framework launched in 2021, and the two countries may issue a joint communiqué after nearly two decades.

The visit carries significance for India given the strategic sensitivities involved. India has not yet concluded a water-sharing treaty with Bangladesh on the Teesta river, which is the only one among 54 cross-border rivers without a formal agreement. New Delhi has concerns about Chinese presence in areas of Bangladesh that are geographically close to the Siliguri Corridor — a narrow strip of land that connects India's northeastern states to the rest of the country. Additionally, Bangladesh recently approved a large infrastructure project in a Chinese economic zone in Chittagong backed by Chinese concessional loans. Earlier this year, Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had visited Dhaka for Rahman's swearing-in ceremony, during which Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended an invitation for Rahman to visit India — an invitation that has not been acted upon as the first foreign trip.

For exam aspirants, this development is important from the perspective of India-Bangladesh relations, India's neighbourhood policy, and China's growing influence in South Asia. Key themes to remember include the Teesta river dispute, the Siliguri Corridor's strategic importance, the 'Bangladesh First' foreign policy doctrine, and China's Belt and Road-linked engagement in the region.