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PM may visit New Delhi in late Nov or early Dec
Officials resume talks on it, reports The Hindu
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 19 Sep 2026, 12:00 AM
Bangladesh and India have resumed official-level discussions over Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s possible visit to New Delhi, with the trip being considered for late November or early December this year, signalling renewed efforts to arrange the much-anticipated high-level engagement.
Citing diplomatic sources, Indian newspaper The Hindu on Friday reported that the two neighbouring countries have recently restarted official-level discussions to work out the details of the proposed visit.
This has been viewed as a new development in the bilateral relations since it was strained following the participation of Sheikh Hasina, former prime minister of Bangladesh living in New Delhi after she was ousted in the face of a mass uprising, in a virtual press conference arranged at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia on 5 August.
There was a discussion in the diplomatic sphere regarding a possible visit of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to New Delhi between 20 and 25 August. But Hasina’s live participation in a public programme and her speeches demeaning the uprising and its intentions, despite repeated requests from Dhaka to Delhi to prevent them, deteriorated relations and forced Bangladesh to postpone the visit, said officials at Dhaka related to determining the agenda of the visit.
Referring to diplomatic sources in New Delhi, The Hindu wrote that officials on both sides have continued meetings in Dhaka and are working on setting up an agenda for the visit that will include regularisation of bilateral trade that has been affected because of unstable political relations and questions over the renewal of the Ganges Water Treaty, among other issues.
Diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Delhi see the fresh initiative to confirm the visit as a sincere effort to deepen bilateral ties from both sides.
Two govts seek to build a conducive environment
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to fly to New York on Monday to attend the United Nations General Assembly, followed by a series of diplomatic engagements in October and November.
Meanwhile, efforts are underway to arrange his visit to New Delhi during a suitable window in November, The Hindu wrote, citing sources in Dhaka and New Delhi.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has held a series of meetings with senior officials of the Bangladesh government, including Water Resources Minister Md Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee and Prime Minister’s Adviser and spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office Mahdi Amin.
Tarique Rahman was invited to attend the recently held BRICS Summit in his capacity as chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Bangladesh, however, did not send a delegation to the summit.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir said that Dhaka was looking to “reset” its relations with New Delhi and would prioritise a bilateral visit by the prime minister at a “conducive” time, rather than combining it with a multilateral engagement.
A seminar on Europe-Asia relations scheduled in New Delhi on 29 August, featuring the activity-banned Awami League’s Information and Research secretary Dr Selim Mahmud as one of the speakers, was cancelled after organisers said that the Delhi Police denied permission for the programme at short notice.
Humaiun Kobir on 1 September said that Bangladesh viewed India’s move to prevent the programme as a “positive step”.
Besides, President of the activity-banned Awami League Sheikh Hasina was scheduled to hold a high-level meeting with top leaders of the party at the residence in New Delhi where she has been staying. However, the meeting was cancelled at the last moment.
There is speculation that the Indian government asked her not to organise such meetings now, said sources.
Modi thanks Tarique for birthday wishes
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for wishing him on his birthday, celebrated on Thursday.
On his official X account, the Indian prime minister wrote, “Thank you, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, for your warm wishes. I deeply appreciate your kind words.”
The reply was posted half an hour after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman wished Narendra Modi good health on the occasion of his birthday.
Taking to X, Tarique Rahman wrote, “Warmest birthday wishes to Prime Minister @narendramodi. Wishing you many happy returns of the day. May your dedicated service to the people of India always be accompanied by good health and high spirit.”