Bangladesh and India negotiate potential visit by Prime Minister Tareq Rahman amid diplomatic efforts to stabilize ties

Prime Minister Tareque Rahman will not participate in the upcoming BRICS outreach summit, diplomatic sources confirmed, as Dhaka and New Delhi continue negotiations regarding a potential bilateral visit by the Bangladeshi leader later this month.

Discussions concerning a prospective trip to India, initiated at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have been ongoing for the past four days. The potential visit follows a period of heightened diplomatic strain between the two nations, triggered earlier this month when former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who faces a death sentence for crimes against humanity, appeared in an online media briefing from New Delhi.

To navigate these tensions, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma is currently in New Delhi to confer with senior policymakers and receive guidance from Prime Minister Modi. High Commissioner Verma is scheduled to return to Dhaka on Friday, where he is expected to hold direct consultations with Bangladeshi officials to address the logistics of the visit and determine the climate for bilateral progress.

Addressing the matter at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam emphasized that while a meeting between the two heads of government offers a clear path to resolving outstanding issues, India must remain sensitive to public sentiment in Bangladesh.

Severe Gas Shortage Disrupts Daily Life and Transport Services in Brahmanbaria

Read Article

Referring to Sheikh Hasina’s recent digital appearance, State Minister Obaid noted that the Bangladeshi public views the hosting of a convicted individual on Indian soil with significant disapproval. She stressed that the memory of the July uprising remains fresh, and the government expects India to be mindful of these sensitivities while exploring the possibility of high-level dialogue.

Regarding the timeline for the Prime Minister’s international engagements, State Minister Obaid clarified that no final dates have been set for travel to either India or Japan. She cited internal pressures, including the upcoming presidential election and pending parliamentary sessions, as primary factors influencing the Prime Minister’s schedule.

While the government remains positive about engaging with both India and Japan, the State Minister affirmed that any future visits will depend on the alignment of the Prime Minister’s schedule and the substantive progress of ongoing diplomatic communications.