Diplomatic Desk:
Dr. Abdul Moyeen Khan, MP, Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, and Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, met with Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay during his brief stopover in Dhaka.
They welcomed the Bhutanese Prime Minister at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Friday (September 18, 2026). On this occasion, the Local Government Minister and the State Minister for Foreign Affairs conveyed warm greetings on behalf of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
During the brief meeting, both sides highlighted the long-standing friendly relations between Bangladesh and Bhutan. Bhutan’s role as the first country to recognize Bangladesh as an independent state in 1971 was also specially recalled.
Various bilateral issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting. The Bangladeshi ministers expressed interest in contributing to the development of Bhutan’s ‘Gelephu Mindfulness City’ (GMC) project.
In particular, they expressed a willingness to cooperate by supplying professionals as well as skilled and semi-skilled manpower from Bangladesh for the project.
Furthermore, referencing the late President Ziaur Rahman’s vision of a prosperous South Asia, the Bangladeshi ministers sought Bhutan’s cooperation in initiatives to revitalize SAARC for the sake of regional interests and the welfare of the people.
Bhutan’s Ambassador to Bangladesh and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were present at the meeting.
Bhutanese Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay spent about an hour in the VVIP lounge in Dhaka. He subsequently departed Dhaka for Germany.
