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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman
Diplomatic channels between Dhaka and New Delhi have initiated preliminary talks to schedule an official bilateral visit to India by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, potentially targeting the second half of November 2026 to reset strained bilateral relations.
The development, first reported on Saturday by The Indian Express following an earlier dispatch by The Hindu, comes shortly after the conclusion of the BRICS summit in New Delhi. Although host India invited Bangladesh in its capacity as the current chair of BIMSTEC, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman declined to attend. Earlier plans for an August bilateral visit were similarly shelved after public backlash in Bangladesh sparked by ousted premier Sheikh Hasina's audio address to media outlets from New Delhi on August 5, marking two years since the fall of the Awami League administration.
According to Indian Ministry of External Affairs records, an official bilateral invitation was extended to Tarique Rahman shortly after he assumed office as Prime Minister in February. Indian High Commissioner in Dhaka Dinesh Trivedi and officials in New Delhi are currently coordinating agendas to harmonize dates with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official calendar.
However, the legal status and extradition of Sheikh Hasina remain critical diplomatic friction points. Following her death sentence handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity committed during the July mass uprising, Dhaka has repeatedly demanded her extradition. Bangladeshi diplomats have emphasized that creating a "conducive atmosphere" for the high-level visit requires New Delhi to clarify its formal stance on Dhaka's extradition requests.
While Indian authorities maintain that Bangladesh’s extradition paperwork remains "under review," New Delhi is advocating for a forward-looking partnership grounded in mutual security and shared economic interests. Both sides are currently seeking a middle ground to facilitate the summit, recognizing that a stable working relationship serves mutual strategic interests.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/national/1f1b4467-d0fe-64a0-bb9d-fdec0c89613f