Dhaka: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to make his first overseas visit to Malaysia on June 21–22, in what analysts and diplomats see as a deliberate diplomatic signal – a carefully balanced move given Dhaka’s tense ties with India and its complex dependence on China.While the government is yet to make a formal announcement, sources in the prime minister’s office confirmed to The Wire that Rahman will visit Malaysia on June 21 and 22.The trip comes four months after Rahman assumed office in February and at a time when Bangladesh is recalibrating its external relationships. The country’s ties with India were strained after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India following the student-led uprising that toppled her government in August 2024. At the same time, China had emerged as a major investor during Hasina’s tenure, while Dhaka’s relations with Washington deteriorated.Against that backdrop, the decision to begin with Malaysia rather than India or China appears aimed at avoiding geopolitical signalling while maintaining diplomatic balance.Avoiding the India-China minefieldWhen talking with The Wire over Tarique’s visit, a senior minister, who requested anonymity, said India remained an important partner for Bangladesh.“India remains an important destination for us, and there are several security-related issues, including the situation in Myanmar and the Rohingya crisis. These are all important components of our foreign policy considerations,” he said.“Malaysia invited first, China second, and India third. That’s one parameter, although not the most important one. Practically speaking, however, from the perspective of maintaining balance in foreign relations, it was the correct decision.”He added that early speculation had pointed toward Nepal or Bhutan as possible first destinations, but that either choice “could have appeared somewhat calculated”. “Choosing Malaysia as the first destination sounds much more pragmatic and realistic as the country is one of the largest destination for manpower export,” he said.The minister also acknowledged the importance of not sidelining New Delhi. “Given the ongoing issues with India – such as Teesta and Ganges water-sharing negotiations – it seems there is a need to maintain engagement with India as well,” he mentioned.Evaluating the decision of choosing Malaysia, Former Bangladesh ambassador to the United States and Bangladesh Enterprise Institute president Humayun Kabir described the decision as an effort to avoid placing the first visit within a geopolitical framework.“It is a good attempt. The effort seems to be to show that we want to begin from outside the geopolitical angle. In terms of messaging, it may send a signal that we do not want to enter into that framework. We are starting our journey from outside that geopolitical context and then coming back here to begin our work,” he said.However, he also tempered that assessment with caution. “Those who understand these matters will understand the intention behind it anyway. It has visibility and symbolic value, but in practical terms, I do not know how useful or effective it will be.”The choice of Malaysia has also been viewed positively in New Delhi at a time when India and Bangladesh are seeking to repair ties following one of the most difficult periods in their relationship.An Indian diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Wire that relations had improved since the formation of the new government in Dhaka and that the choice of Malaysia sent a reassuring signal.Although India had extended an invitation to Rahman, the diplomat said it was understandable that domestic political considerations made India an unlikely choice for the first foreign visit.The diplomat pointed to New Delhi’s appointment of former parliamentarian Dinesh Trivedi as India’s next high commissioner to Bangladesh as evidence of the importance India attaches to rebuilding ties.Also read: India Cites Bilateral Deportation Mechanism as Bangladesh Raises Fresh Push-In ClaimsAccording to the diplomat, this is India’s first political appointment to the post since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971.“A country appoints a political figure as its representative when it gives the highest priority to a bilateral relationship,” he said.He drew a parallel with US President Donald Trump’s decision to appoint Sergio Gor as ambassador to India, saying it reflected Washington’s desire to strengthen relations with New Delhi.Relations between Dhaka and New Delhi deteriorated sharply during the tenure of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5, 2024. Since Rahman assumed office, both sides have taken steps to normalise ties.Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on 5 August 2024, amid a mass uprising of students and the public, relations between Dhaka and Delhi deteriorated during the tenure of the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh.After a new government was formed in Bangladesh under the leadership of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Rahman, relations between the two countries have begun to normalise. However, tensions have persisted over issues such as rhetoric by BJP leaders during recent election campaigns in West Bengal and Assam, interviews by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and Dhaka’s allegations of an intensification of Indian “push-ins” across the border.How BNP government speeding up relation with China and USThe new government also speeding up relation with China and US which worsened after uprising.China is widely expected to be the destination for Rahman’s next major foreign visit, with investment and infrastructure projects likely to feature prominently on the agenda. Several initiatives were stalled during the political transition and Dhaka is now seeking to revive them.Several high profile politicians and minister paid visit after the political transition. A number of senior BNP leaders and ministers have already travelled to China. In April, a 19-member delegation led by BNP secretary general and local government minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir visited the country at the invitation of the Chinese government.In May, Bangladesh’s foreign minister Khalilur Rahman travelled to China and formally requested Chinese financing for the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project.Information and broadcasting minister Zahir Uddin Swapon is also scheduled to visit China on June 11.The government has likewise sought to maintain stable ties with Washington. Observers point to its lack of opposition to a controversial trade agreement negotiated during the interim administration as evidence of that approach.Under the agreement, Bangladesh committed to purchasing 14 aircraft from Boeing in a deal valued at approximately $3.7 billion at list prices, or more than Tk 45,000 crore at current exchange rates. The agreement was signed three days before the national elections and, according to critics, had the backing of the BNP before it formally assumed office.Although several political figures and civil society groups have called for a parliamentary review of the deal, arguing that it runs counter to national interests, the BNP government has so far refrained from revisiting the agreement.