Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has postponed her planned visit to Bangladesh, which was scheduled for 30 August, due to escalating geopolitical tensions linked to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
The two-day trip — set to be the first by a top European Union leader since the interim government led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus took office — has been called off indefinitely. Meloni’s broader Asia tour, which also included planned stops in Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, and Japan through early September, has been scrapped in its entirety.
According to multiple sources within Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Italian Embassy in Dhaka conveyed the decision informally on Thursday afternoon, citing urgent security priorities in Europe as the primary reason for the cancellation.
“The entire tour package has been postponed by Rome due to the deteriorating situation in Ukraine and Europe’s heightened security concerns,” a senior Foreign Ministry official told Jago News. “This is not limited to Bangladesh — all five countries were affected.”
Bangladesh had been keenly anticipating Meloni’s visit, viewing it as a significant diplomatic opportunity to strengthen ties with Italy and the wider EU. The discussions were expected to focus on key areas including migration cooperation, labour mobility, investment in green energy, and trade expansion.
Diplomatic sources noted that Italy has shown growing interest in recruiting skilled Bangladeshi workers to address labour shortages, particularly in healthcare and construction — making the visit especially relevant for bilateral relations.
As of now, there has been no official announcement regarding a rescheduled date for the visit. Italian government officials have not issued a public statement, but sources in Rome suggest the tour may be reconsidered in the autumn, depending on the evolution of the situation in Eastern Europe.
The postponement underscores how global security crises continue to impact high-level diplomatic calendars — even as Bangladesh seeks to deepen its international engagement during the transitional period ahead of national elections.