Italian Prime Minister Cancels Bangladesh Visit

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has postponed her planned official visit to Bangladesh, along with four other Asian nations, as she remains engaged in international discussions on the war in Ukraine.

A senior official at the foreign ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the visit has only been delayed, not called off. “She is expected to visit in the near future,” the official said on Tuesday.

Meloni was scheduled to begin her five-nation tour in Dhaka on Aug 30. A bilateral meeting with Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus was set for the following day. Her itinerary also included Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea and Japan.

Foreign ministry officials said Meloni is a key participant in discussions on the Ukraine war, led by the United States, and her busy schedule has prompted the deferment of the Asian tour. Talks are under way to fix new dates for the visit, and diplomatic communication with Rome is ongoing, they added.

The visit was seen as a high-level engagement, with Meloni expected to be the first European head of government to visit since the interim administration took office.

The Bangladesh government had already declared Giorgia Meloni a Very Very Important Person (VVIP) for her Aug 10-31 visit through an official gazette.