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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman may visit India towards the end of next week, with preparations reportedly under way in both Dhaka and New Delhi for the possible trip, Indian media outlet NDTV reported on Friday.
Citing sources in Dhaka and New Delhi, NDTV said the visit was still under consideration and no date had yet been finalised. Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry has not officially confirmed the trip, while the Prime Minister’s Office has also made no formal announcement.
If the visit goes ahead, it would be Tarique Rahman’s first trip to India since becoming prime minister. During the possible two-day visit, he is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The two leaders may discuss a range of issues concerning the interests of both countries, including trade, connectivity, energy cooperation, border management and regional security. The detailed itinerary, however, has yet to be finalised.
India invited Tarique Rahman to visit the country after he assumed office as prime minister in February. New Delhi has also invited Bangladesh to the BRICS outreach session scheduled to be held in New Delhi in September.
A meeting between Tarique Rahman and Narendra Modi would be significant for Dhaka-New Delhi relations, which have faced tensions since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government following the July 2024 uprising and Hasina’s subsequent stay in India.
The new BNP-led government has expressed its interest in maintaining constructive relations with India. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman visited New Delhi in April and held talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar.
On 10 August, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Tarique Rahman in Dhaka. The meeting discussed various initiatives to improve bilateral relations, including Dhaka’s request for the repatriation of Sheikh Hasina and the extradition of those accused in the murder of Sharif Osman bin Hadi.
The issue of Sheikh Hasina’s extradition could be among the most sensitive issues during any high-level talks between Dhaka and New Delhi.
Hasina has been staying in India since leaving Bangladesh on 5 August 2024. Following her death sentence by the International Crimes Tribunal in a crimes against humanity case, Bangladesh formally requested India to return her.
New Delhi has said it is reviewing Bangladesh’s request through established legal and diplomatic channels.
Tensions between the two countries resurfaced recently after Hasina addressed journalists virtually from India. Dhaka criticised the development, while New Delhi said it had played no role in organising the event.
The possible talks could also address several longstanding bilateral issues, including trade, connectivity, energy cooperation, border management and regional security.
Water-sharing is likely to be another important issue. The 1996 Ganges Water Sharing Treaty is due to expire in December, making discussions on its extension or renewal increasingly significant for both countries.
For Bangladesh, a possible Tarique-Modi meeting could therefore provide an opportunity to address both immediate diplomatic concerns and longer-standing issues in bilateral relations.