Bangladesh and India have been in active communication for several weeks regarding a possible bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to New Delhi.

Bangladesh Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shahidul Karim confirmed this on Sunday, noting that discussions remain ongoing but no final dates have yet been set.

The visit, if confirmed, would be Rahman’s first trip to India since assuming office in February. However, the process has been complicated by recent diplomatic strains following an open press appearance by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on 5 August.

Karim stated that officials of both countries have been in touch for weeks, but the process was vitiated by Hasina’s press interaction. He emphasised that Hasina has been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity, and Dhaka has made its position clear on the matter.

Bangladesh has formally urged Indian authorities to act on pending extradition requests concerning Hasina. Dhaka has also requested the handover of individuals accused in the murder of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi under the bilateral extradition treaty.

The Foreign Ministry noted that dialogue surrounding the visit was impacted by Hasina’s virtual interaction organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia.

The event marked the second anniversary of her ouster in 2024. India clarified that the press event was hosted by a private media entity and had no government endorsement.

Reaffirming Dhaka’s foreign policy principles, Karim stressed that Bangladesh’s relations with neighbouring countries will continue to be guided by sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in internal affairs, and mutual benefit. He reiterated the government’s commitment to the ‘Bangladesh First’ policy.

India, for its part, distanced itself from Hasina’s engagement. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underscored that the government had no involvement in the event and did not endorse any views expressed there.

The ongoing exchanges follow recent consultations between Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. These discussions came shortly after Trivedi met Rahman in Dhaka to review bilateral ties.

During his interaction with Rahman, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi. He expressed India’s commitment to collaborate with the Bangladeshi administration and its citizens in a constructive and forward-looking manner. Both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and discussed avenues for strengthening relations with a people-centric approach.

The proposed visit is therefore seen as a potential turning point in bilateral relations, offering an opportunity to move past recent strains and reaffirm cooperation between Dhaka and New Delhi.

ANI