Foreign Minister Mostaflxur Rahman, due to return home today after attending the SAARC Ministerial meeting, leaves Dhaka for Moscow Monday on a four-day official visit to the Soviet Union, reports UNB.

Mostaflz led the three-member Bangladesh delegation at the Just concluded meeting of the Council of Ministers of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in the Maldives capital Male.

Additional Foreign Secretary Riaz Rahman and Director General (ETastern Europe) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Muhammad Zamir will accompany the

Foreign Minister during his Moscow visit, first ever by a Bangladesh Minister in 15 years.

"It's an important visit", remarked Foreign Secretary Abul Ahsan talking to UNB at his office Saturday. "The tnstal latton of a democratic government in Bangladesh and a democratic change in the Soviet Union will help further strengthen the relations between the two countries".

Ahsan said exchange of views on different regional and Internationa) issues between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in the backdrop of changed political and economic order across the world.

particularly in Europe, will b< "useful to work for a better world".

Mostafa, during his stay tn the Soviet capital, is likely to call on President Gorbachev besides holding talks with his Soviet counterpart Aleksander A Bessmertnykh.

His talks with the Soviet Foreign Minister will cover the entire gamut of bilateral relations and regional and international issues of common con cern. Increase In trade Is also expected to figure prominently in the discussion.

Mostaflz will also discuss with Minister for Foreign Economic Relations Katushc\ expansion of economic cooperation between the two coun tries.

Bangladesh and the USSR are expected to sign a Counsellor Agreement during the visit, officials here said