Uncertainty still surrounds the potential visit of Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India ahead of the BRICS summit. While high-level communication between Dhaka and New Delhi continues, neither the date nor a final decision on the visit has been made. Meanwhile, India has stated that it has no new information regarding the trip.
During the regular briefing of India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Friday (September 4), spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, when asked about Tarique Rahman’s potential India visit, stated, ‘We have no new information on this matter.’
The 18th BRICS summit is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. India is hosting the summit this year as the current chair of BRICS.
New Delhi has invited Bangladesh to participate in the outreach session of the summit. However, this invitation was not extended to Tarique Rahman as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh; rather, the country was invited based on its role as the current chair of BIMSTEC.
In addition, India has separately invited Tarique Rahman for a bilateral visit. However, Dhaka has not yet made a final decision on this. Government officials involved state that the decision will be made after considering necessary discussions between the two countries and ensuring a suitable environment for the visit.
Sheikh Hasina’s Repatriation Also a Key Issue
Alongside discussions on Tarique Rahman’s potential India visit, the issue of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who resides in India, remains one of the most sensitive aspects of Dhaka-Delhi relations.
Sheikh Hasina, who is residing in India and was sentenced to death in a case involving crimes against humanity, recently gave interviews to various media outlets. When asked about this during Friday’s briefing, Randhir Jaiswal stated, ‘No comment.’
Sheikh Hasina went to India after being overthrown in the mass uprising of July-August 2024. She currently resides there. The Bangladesh government has long been demanding her repatriation.
Recently, the Prime Minister’s Office also announced that Dhaka is awaiting New Delhi’s response regarding the repatriation of Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive convicts residing in India.
Amidst this, on August 5, Sheikh Hasina virtually addressed a media event organized in New Delhi. Earlier, Bangladesh had requested India to ensure that Sheikh Hasina or anyone associated with the Awami League could not use Indian territory to participate in any political statements or activities that could destabilize the situation in Bangladesh.
Following Sheikh Hasina’s speech, new tensions arose in the relationship between the two countries. However, India stated that its government had no role in that event and that it does not agree with the statements made there.
Potential Discussion Topics if the Visit Proceeds
If Tarique Rahman’s visit to India takes place, it could mark a significant beginning for relations with New Delhi since the BNP government came to power. Potential topics for discussion during the visit could include bilateral trade, energy, border management, connectivity, security, and regional cooperation.
India’s High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi previously stated that a meeting between Tarique Rahman and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi could pave the way for resolving various outstanding issues between the two countries.
However, from Dhaka’s perspective, the government does not wish to limit the potential visit to mere formalities. Issues such as Sheikh Hasina’s repatriation, her political activities in India, and the crisis of mutual trust between the two countries have also become crucial in shaping the environment for the visit.
Source: ANI