India and Bangladesh Seek to Strengthen Ties Amid Ongoing Uncertainty
India and Bangladesh are taking steps to arrange meetings in key areas such as trade and consular affairs, aiming to improve their relationship. This comes at a time when questions remain about Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s upcoming visit to New Delhi, according to sources familiar with the situation.
A Bangladeshi delegation is set to visit New Delhi on October 8-9 for discussions focused on trade, according to unnamed sources. Meanwhile, both nations are in talks to set a date for a meeting on consular issues that Bangladesh will host.
These initiatives are part of efforts to bring back normalcy to the bilateral relationship despite ongoing tensions. Relations between the two countries have soured significantly after protests led to the ousting of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024, placing Muhammad Yunus in charge of an interim administration.
After the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won the general election in February, India quickly moved to mend ties by inviting Prime Minister Rahman for a bilateral visit and to participate in the Brics Summit as the head of the Bimstec group. However, the Bangladeshi government opted out of attending the Brics Summit last month, and scheduling Rahman’s visit has proven to be challenging.
Initially, Bangladesh was expected to send its trade delegation for meetings on October 7-8, but logistical issues led to a delay, causing the meetings to be rescheduled.
Bangladesh expressed a desire for discussions on trade to be followed by talks between the commerce secretaries of both nations. However, India has indicated that this can only happen after meetings that address transit and border trade matters.
The discussions on consular issues are particularly important as both countries aim to resolve various visa-related concerns.
Scheduling Prime Minister Rahman’s visit to India has been complicated by a busy diplomatic calendar on the Indian side. October will see visits from Swiss President Guy Parmelin and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also slated to attend the Asean Summit in the Philippines from November 16-18.
Looking ahead, Modi is expected to travel to the US, Canada, and Belgium in December. Meanwhile, Rahman plans to visit Japan in October, with additional trips to Türkiye and Saudi Arabia planned for November.
