Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina
Apart from Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina is another BIMSTEC leader who will miss Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony.
Narendra Modi will make history once again by taking oath as the 14th Prime Minister of India for his second tenure on May 30.
Hasina is scheduled to take a three-nation visit to Japan, Saudi Arabia, and Finland at the time of Modi's swearing-in ceremony. Instead, Bangladesh President Mohammad Abdul Hamid will attend the event.
Hasina, however, might stop over in Delhi for a few hours on her way back to Bangladesh to congratulate the prime minister in person.
Hasina had missed PM Modi's oath-taking ceremony in 2014 as well. She too got elected as the Bangladesh Prime Minister this year in January. She is serving her fourth tenure as Bangladesh PM.
Bangladesh's Prime Minister was among the first foreign leaders to congratulate Modi after BJP's resounding victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. She said this huge mandate is a reflection of the trust and confidence reposed on Narendra Modi by the people of the world's largest democracy.
As earlier reported, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is not invited to the swearing-in ceremony. After the February 14, Pulwama attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit, which killed around 40 CRPF personnel, the Indo-Pak relationship had soured and India is keeping aside with Pakistan.
To witness one of the biggest events of the world's largest democracy, BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) member states are invited.
World leaders from BIMSTEC countries comprising Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, and Nepal will attend this ceremony.
President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth are among other leaders who are invited to the ceremony.
