Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen yesterday said the government would provide full protection to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Dhaka to join the birth centenary celebrations of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 17. The foreign minister issued the statement while speaking with journalists after attending the “Showcasing National SME Fair 2020” programme at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

“He (Modi) must come. We don’t see any reason for his not coming here. Of course, we can control any trouble. We will provide full protection to our guests,” Momen said in reply to a query. “We would provide him (Modi) with the due respect. India is our neighbouring country and the largest democratic nation in the world,” he added.

Following the recent riots in Delhi, which claimed nearly 40 lives over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), different quarters in Bangladesh have raised questions over Modi’s visit here. Besides the Indian prime minister, former Indian president Pranab Mukherjee and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi will also visit Dhaka at different times this year.

“Their schedules for visiting Dhaka have been finalised. They will come here on different important days,” he said.

Asked what kinds of agreements would be signed during Modi’s visit, the foreign minister said: “Nothing can be confirmed right now. There are lots of possibilities and many expectations. Everything will be settled through dialogue.”

Drawing attention to the coronavirus, he said: “We are lucky that no one in our country has been affected by the coronavirus. We have suspended on-arrival visas for nationals of South Korea, Iran, Italy, and China.”

“If foreigners wish to come here, they have to show medical reports stating that they are not affected by the virus. Only then will we allow them,” he explained. “We have informed the airlines that Bangladeshis should also be checked before their arrival here,” he added.

Asked about the impact on mega projects resulting from delays arising from absence of the Chinese workers, the minister said: “The Chinese foreign minister informed me on Wednesday that when the coronavirus outbreak eases, they will double the effort to complete our ongoing projects.”