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Former senior Indian diplomat Bidya Bhushan Soni has expressed optimism that a possible visit by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India could strengthen bilateral ties and create new opportunities to resolve long-standing issues between the two countries.
Speaking to Indian news agency ANI on Monday, Soni said several issues remained unresolved, including the Teesta water-sharing dispute.
He also said Bangladesh could seek India’s help in resolving the Rohingya crisis by using its relations with Myanmar.
Soni expressed confidence in Tarique Rahman’s leadership, saying he did not consider the Bangladeshi prime minister anti-India and had not made any remarks that could be described as hostile towards India.
“I am very optimistic,” Soni said, adding that there was a good possibility of Tarique Rahman visiting India.
He also warned that the current opportunity for engagement between the two countries should not be missed, saying the “window” for dialogue might close if the Bangladeshi prime minister does not visit India.
Bangladesh Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shahidul Karim said on Sunday that officials from Dhaka and New Delhi had been maintaining active communication over the past few weeks regarding a possible visit by Tarique Rahman.
If the visit takes place, it would be Tarique Rahman’s first trip to India since assuming office in February.
Although discussions are ongoing, Dhaka has said no final date has been set, amid recent diplomatic tensions following former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s public press event in New Delhi on August 5.
Bangladesh has formally urged India to take swift action on its extradition request for Hasina, who has been convicted by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, as well as on the handover of suspects wanted in the murder of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi under the bilateral extradition treaty.
India, however, has distanced itself from Hasina’s press event, saying the Indian government had no involvement in its organisation.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the event was organised by a private media outlet and stressed that the Indian government did not endorse any remarks made there.