Delhi reaches out to Tarique
India is seeking to revive high-level political engagement with Bangladesh, with its envoy in Dhaka signalling that a meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi could help ease current tensions and unlock progress on long-standing bilateral issues.
Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi made the remarks on Sunday, a day before his first courtesy meeting with Tarique Rahman since taking charge in Dhaka.
The meeting comes at a sensitive moment in bilateral relations following former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent political appearance in New Delhi.
Diplomatic sources said Trivedi is expected to encourage Tarique to accept India’s invitation to visit New Delhi and attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit, to be hosted by India on 12-13 September.
Bangladesh is not a BRICS member, but Tarique has been invited as the current chair of BIMSTEC. India formally confirmed the invitation on 4 August.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the invitation was consistent with the practice of inviting leaders of regional organisations to BRICS outreach sessions.
A separate invitation for a bilateral visit to India has also been pending since February.
New Delhi signals preference for direct engagement
Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a children’s playing area at the Indian Visa Application Centre in Dhaka, Trivedi stressed the value of direct engagement between political leaders.
“I listened to his (PM Tarique) speeches many times. He is a people’s person. Our Prime Minister (Modi), too, is a people’s person,” he said.
“I think when two leaders meet, a lot of problems are sorted out. I have full confidence,” Trivedi added.
The envoy said he remained optimistic about the relationship, saying: “I am very confident. There is nothing negative. Things remain positive.”
His comments signal New Delhi’s interest in establishing direct political contact between the two governments and using leader-level engagement to address both the immediate strains and longer-standing disputes.
Trivedi had earlier raised the prospect of a visit by Tarique during meetings with Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on 29 July.
“We are looking forward to welcoming the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India. We are very hopeful that this visit will take place in the near future,” he said at the time.
Water, trade and other disputes
The Indian envoy has also linked a possible visit to progress on unresolved bilateral matters, including the Teesta water-sharing agreement and renewal of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty.
“There is no issue that cannot be sorted out through mutual understanding,” Trivedi said, adding that bilateral working groups would continue their discussions.
He said that “once the prime minister visits India, things will move forward constructively”.
The two sides have several other issues on their bilateral agenda, including trade, connectivity, border management, energy cooperation and security.
Trivedi is scheduled to meet Tarique on Monday for the first time since his appointment as India’s high commissioner.
Ahead of the meeting, he held a previously scheduled discussion with Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman at the State Guest House Padma on Sunday.
Asked by journalists about the current state of bilateral relations after arriving at the Foreign Ministry on Sunday afternoon, Khalilur said he would speak on Monday following the prime minister’s meeting with the Indian envoy.
Hasina issue weighs on relations
The timing of the meeting is particularly significant as Dhaka and New Delhi seek to prevent recent tensions from developing into a wider diplomatic crisis.
Relations have deteriorated following Sheikh Hasina’s public appearance in New Delhi on 5 August, coinciding with the anniversary of the July uprising that led to her ouster in 2024.
Bangladesh strongly protested the event. India subsequently said its government had no role in organising the appearance and did not endorse remarks made there concerning Bangladesh’s government.
Sheikh Hasina has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has also demanded her extradition, while Dhaka has repeatedly objected to her political activities from Indian territory.
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed on Saturday warned that India could not allow Hasina to engage in political activities from its territory while simultaneously seeking friendly relations with Bangladesh.
“You cannot play the Hasina card and seek friendly relations with Bangladesh; the two are contradictory,” he said.
Despite the tensions, diplomatic sources in Dhaka and New Delhi said neither side wanted the dispute to turn into a prolonged crisis.
Contacts between the two countries have continued as officials seek to contain tensions and rebuild mutual confidence.
BRICS invitation remains uncertain
Tarique’s possible participation in the BRICS outreach session remains undecided.
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said on 29 July that the government was reviewing India’s invitation and would take a decision.
Some officials and diplomatic observers in Dhaka now believe the recent deterioration in relations could make Tarique’s participation in the September meeting less likely.
Others see the BRICS invitation, together with the possibility of a bilateral visit, as an opportunity for Dhaka and New Delhi to reset relations and open a new phase of engagement.
For Bangladesh, however, any high-level engagement is likely to depend on India’s handling of Dhaka’s concerns over Sheikh Hasina and whether future ties can be grounded in mutual respect, sovereignty and reciprocity.
The immediate focus will therefore be Monday’s meeting between Tarique and Trivedi.
The Indian envoy’s remarks on Sunday indicate that New Delhi views direct leader-level communication as an important route towards easing the current diplomatic impasse.
“Problems are solved when we talk,” Trivedi said.
