‘Rahman wants to visit India, but agenda has to be set first’

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is keen to visit India at the earliest but is concerned about take away points and achievements that he will have to produce before his audience back home after a visit of this nature, said a diplomatic source of Bangladesh to The Hindu on Wednesday (September 9, 2026)

The official said that Prime Minister Rahman might have skipped the multilateral BRICS summit for which he was invited by India, but that does not mean that he is trying to avoid an immediate and important neighbour like India which has contributed and sacrificed immensely during Bangladesh’s Liberation War of 1971. PM Rahman is aware that he may have to visit Delhi in a bilateral framework by November or early December, as the Ganga Water Treaty needs to be renewed at the earliest as it will otherwise lapse by the end of December, said the official.

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The official said that Mr. Rahman’s visit requires setting of the agenda through intensive meetings between the officials of the two sides that are yet to begin. But Dhaka believes that apart from the Ganga Water Treaty which is a “rolling achievement” as it is expected to be renewed after having survived for 30 years, there is a need to look at other areas where the bilateral relationship is stuck.

“For example, in case of restarting full scale visa facilities, lifting of trade restrictions that were imposed during the interim government in Dhaka, and usage of land ports, and restarting of full scale commercial relationship are some of the areas where there is possibility of setting up some solid goals for achievement,” said the official.

He also pointed out that one area where India could send a positive message is in the field of energy as Bangladesh is suffering from an acute crunch in energy supply. “It will be a confidence building measure if India can assist Bangladesh in dealing with this challenge,” said the official who indicated that Bangladesh is looking at commercial and consular issues separately from hard political issues like Sheikh Hasina’s presence in India.

The official described the Ganga Water Treaty as a success of bilateral diplomacy that was sealed in 1996 during Sheikh Hasina’s first prime ministerial stint, and subsequently functioned in BNP years in 2001-’06. “Failing to renew this treaty before the year end will reflect negatively on the relationship,” said the official noting that delaying this renewal is counterproductive as already there are voices in India like that of JD(U) MP Sanjay Jha who have started opposing renewal of the treaty citing that the treaty does not benefit Bihar. “Prolonging this process will encourage such critics of this treaty to come forward,” he said.

A visit by PM Rahman, he said, has to be designed in such a way that it will kick start the India-Bangladesh relationship to its fullest potential. “Only then Prime Minister can return home with a substantial achievement in hand from Delhi,” said the official who added that PM Rahman is personally committed to holding dialogue with India at the highest level.

The official noted that India’s High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi has been holding rounds of discussions in Dhaka with multiple high-level officials including with the newly elected President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir but the bureaucrats-level talks are necessary to create an agenda for PM Rahman’s visit. “We are open minded about building an agenda for a visit by our Prime Minister. On some issues there can be relaxation of our positions and on certain issues we would prefer the relation to move ahead,” he said.

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The Hindu was told that Bangladesh expects India to be mindful of the fact that Sheikh Hasina’s accusations against Tarique Rahman are not rational as Mr. Rahman is an elected leader. “However, we are satisfied by the fact that a fresh press event featuring members of Sheikh Hasina’s party and her supporters was prevented by India. That is a constructive message from India and we have taken note of it,” said the official.

In this connection, he said that BNP leaders remember that in 2018, India denied entry to Lord Alexander Carlile, legal adviser to Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s then Chairperson Khaleda Zia. Lord Carlile was expected to address a press conference against Sheikh Hasina , who was Prime Minister of Bangladesh at that time.  

Prime Minister Rahman was invited to attend the BRICS summit in Delhi as the head of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) between September 12-13 and bureaucrats-level consultation was ongoing between the two sides over the visit when deposed PM Sheikh Hasina addressed a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club here on August 5.  Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in response accused Hasina of committing violent crimes and expressed “outrage” over the event.