India Trying to Arrange Tarique Rahman’s Delhi Visit in November: The Hindu
India and Bangladesh have resumed official-level discussions after a temporary strain in relations between the two countries. Indian newspaper The Hindu, citing diplomatic sources, reported that officials from both countries are working to finalise plans for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to New Delhi. According to the sources, efforts are being made to arrange the visit in November this year.
According to The Hindu, India-Bangladesh bilateral relations were affected after widespread reactions in Bangladesh to a virtual press conference by ousted Bangladesh then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August. Sheikh Hasina is currently staying at an undisclosed location in New Delhi, India.
Citing sources familiar with the matter, The Hindu further reported that officials from the two countries are holding regular meetings in Dhaka. They are also working on an agenda for PM Tarique Rahman’s possible visit. Restoring bilateral trade affected by political instability could receive priority during the visit. The renewal of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty could also be discussed.
Citing several sources in Dhaka, The Hindu reported that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will travel to New York this month to attend the United Nations General Assembly. He has several diplomatic engagements scheduled throughout October and November. Efforts are being made to arrange his New Delhi visit at a suitable time in November.
Meanwhile, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has held meetings with several Bangladeshi government officials in recent days. Among them are Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Mohammad Shahiduddin Chowdhury Aenny and Prime Minister’s Adviser Mahadi Amin.
Recently, India invited Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, as the chair of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation), to the BRICS summit held in India. However, Bangladesh did not send any representative to the event. Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said at the time that Bangladesh was planning to “reset” its relations with India. For this, Dhaka would prioritise a bilateral visit at an appropriate or “conducive” time.
Over the past two years, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has sentenced Sheikh Hasina and several senior ministers and officials of her government to death for crimes against humanity. The verdicts were delivered over their alleged roles in the crackdown on protesters during the July-August movement in 2024. The crackdown ultimately led to the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government.
Citing sources, The Hindu claimed that communication between PM Tarique Rahman and Indian officials resumed at least in February 2024. At that time, he sent an envoy to India to understand New Delhi’s position. This came against the backdrop of the widely criticised January 2024 election, which was boycotted by the BNP.
The communication was a continuation of the contacts between the BNP and India during the Sheikh Hasina government from 2009 to 2024. Two months before the January 2024 election, Bangladesh’s current Energy Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku visited New Delhi.
Earlier, in 2018, a three-member BNP delegation also visited New Delhi. The delegation included Abdul Awal Mintoo, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Humayun Kabir.
