President departs for Bangladesh on official visit

President Mohamed Muizzu departed for Bangladesh on this evening on an official visit.

The visit comes at the invitation of Professor Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser to the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, to attend the oath taking ceremony of the country’s new government, scheduled for 17 February 2026.

During the visit, which runs from 16 to 18 February, President Muizzu is also set to meet the newly elected prime minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman.

Invitations have been sent to 12 heads of state to attend the ceremony, scheduled to be held on Tuesday at the South Plaza of the Bangladesh parliament.

Countries from South Asia invited to the ceremony include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. Other nations extended invitations include China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia and Brunei.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led coalition secured victory in the election, winning 212 of the 299 parliamentary seats. The party is headed by Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, who died last year. Muizzu had earlier congratulated the coalition on its win.

President Muizzu had earlier congratulated Bangladesh’s BNP for winning the Bangladesh general election with a substantial majority.

Diplomatic relations between Maldives and Bangladesh were established on 22 September 1978.