The current Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Asad Alam Siam, will be the next High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India. Bangladesh on Tuesday (September 22, 2026) received the Indian diplomatic document — agrément — that will pave the way for Mr. Siam to take charge of the High Commission of Bangladesh in New Delhi in the coming weeks. 

The appointment of Foreign Secretary Siam has taken place against the backdrop of negotiations between New Delhi and Dhaka for a possible India visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman sometime in November. Mr. Rahman was earlier invited to visit Delhi for the BRICS summit, but the visit could not take place over tough exchanges that broke out after deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a virtual press interaction on August 5.

Mr. Siam will succeed Riaz Hamidullah, who was posted here in 2025 during the interim administration headed by Prof. Mohammed Yunus. The fifteen-month period under Prof. Yunus posed a challenge to bilateral relations, as relations remained caught in a cold frame over multiple issues including the presence of Ms. Hasina on Indian soil. 

The coming months are crucial, as the year-end is when the three-decade-old Ganga Water Agreement is expected to expire, and both sides held a round of discussions earlier this year for renewal of the treaty, though the last phase of meetings is yet to be held. That said, bilateral relations that nosedived after August 5, 2024 will require multiple steps, such as normalisation of visa facilities and elimination of restrictive trade practices that India had imposed in May 2025. 

Bangladesh on Sunday (September 13, 2026) said it wants to “reset” its relationship with India and build a new bilateral engagement based on mutual interests, while describing ties during the tenure of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as “uncomfortable”.

The remarks by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir came two days after Bangladesh said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would not participate in the BRICS Summit hosted by India as he was not invited to the event, with the invitation instead extended to the BIMSTEC chair.

The two-day BRICS Summit concluded on Sunday (September 13, 2026). India had invited Mr. Rahman to attend the summit as chairperson of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), while a separate bilateral invitation had been in place since February.

Bangladesh wants to “reset” its bilateral relationship with India, Mr. Kobir told reporters. “We want to move towards a new relationship, which should be done through bilateral discussions, not through a multilateral forum,” he said.

India-Bangladesh ties have been strained over New Delhi providing refuge to Hasina, who fled to India following her ouster in a youth-led agitation in August 2024.

Mr. Kobir said Bangladesh needs to move beyond what he described as an “excessive preoccupation” with India and approach its relationship with New Delhi in a balanced manner, focusing on mutual interests and treating it as part of its broader engagement with other countries.

“We have to get out of the India fascination. India is just another country, and Bangladesh wants good bilateral relations with it,” he said.

Responding to a question, the Minister said, “Breakfast in India, lunch in India, dinner in India — then when will you eat your own food?” Mr. Kobir also said Prime Minister Rahman is scheduled to leave for New York on September 21 to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and stay there until September 26.

Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Mr. Rahman and U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UNGA, he said such meetings are often decided at the last moment during major international conferences.

“The primary focus of the Prime Minister’s visit is to address the UN General Assembly,” Mr. Kobir said, adding that details of the sideline meetings would be known in due course.

Bangladesh on Sunday (September 13, 2026) said it wants to “reset” its relationship with India and build a new bilateral engagement based on mutual interests, while describing ties during the tenure of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as “uncomfortable”.

The remarks by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir came two days after Bangladesh said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would not participate in the BRICS Summit hosted by India as he was not invited to the event, with the invitation instead extended to the BIMSTEC chair.

The two-day BRICS Summit concluded on Sunday (September 13, 2026). India had invited Mr. Rahman to attend the summit as chairperson of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), while a separate bilateral invitation had been in place since February.

Bangladesh wants to “reset” its bilateral relationship with India, Mr. Kobir told reporters. “We want to move towards a new relationship, which should be done through bilateral discussions, not through a multilateral forum,” he said.

India-Bangladesh ties have been strained over New Delhi providing refuge to Hasina, who fled to India following her ouster in a youth-led agitation in August 2024.

Mr. Kobir said Bangladesh needs to move beyond what he described as an “excessive preoccupation” with India and approach its relationship with New Delhi in a balanced manner, focusing on mutual interests and treating it as part of its broader engagement with other countries.

“We have to get out of the India fascination. India is just another country, and Bangladesh wants good bilateral relations with it,” he said.

Responding to a question, the Minister said, “Breakfast in India, lunch in India, dinner in India — then when will you eat your own food?” Mr. Kobir also said Prime Minister Rahman is scheduled to leave for New York on September 21 to attend the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and stay there until September 26.

Asked about the possibility of a meeting between Mr. Rahman and U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UNGA, he said such meetings are often decided at the last moment during major international conferences.

“The primary focus of the Prime Minister’s visit is to address the UN General Assembly,” Mr. Kobir said, adding that details of the sideline meetings would be known in due course.

Bangladesh has said there was “no rush” for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit India and Dhaka would not compromise its national interests even though it wanted a positive relationship with New Delhi, according to a media report.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir made the remarks in Dhaka on Saturday (August 23, 2026), adding that Rahman’s trip to India would take place at an appropriate time after sufficient progress in bilateral discussions, the state-run BSS news agency reported.

Mr. Kobir’s remarks came amid continuing uncertainty over PM Rahman’s visit to New Delhi. India has invited the Bangladesh Prime Minister for a bilateral visit as well as to attend the outreach session of the upcoming BRICS summit on September 12-13.

The much-anticipated visit is seen as important for rebuilding India-Bangladesh ties, which witnessed a downturn after the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024.

Ms. Hasina fled to India after her government was toppled. Dhaka has since sought her extradition, while New Delhi said the request is under examination in accordance with applicable legal procedures.

“We want a positive relationship with India. Why wouldn’t we? They are our neighbours. We should have a working relationship,” said Mr. Kobir, an adviser to the Bangladesh PM who was appointed as State minister on Friday (August 21, 2026).

“But it has to be done by prioritising Bangladesh’s national interests,” he said, adding that Dhaka would not compromise its interests in dealing with any country.

Asked about the timing of Mr. Rahman’s possible India visit, Mr. Kobir was quoted as saying by the BSS that there was no need to rush a head-of-government-level meeting.

“If we reach an agreement based on our national interests tomorrow, we can go [to India] next week, or the week after. There is no rush here,” said the State minister, adding that such a visit required adequate preparation, substantive discussions and necessary groundwork between the two sides.

India-Bangladesh relations came under fresh strain after Ms. Hasina held a virtual media interaction in New Delhi on August 5, in which she said she is determined to return home in December to put the country on the “right track” by restoring democracy, notwithstanding the risk of facing the threat of imprisonment or a death sentence.

Ms. Hasina was sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal in Bangladesh in November 2025 over alleged “crimes against humanity” during the crackdown on people who were part of student-led protests eventually leading to her ouster.

Bangladesh expressed outrage over the media interaction, saying the event had hurt the sentiments of its people and could adversely affect efforts to improve bilateral ties with India.

India, meanwhile, sought to distance itself from the event, saying New Delhi neither played a role in it nor endorsed Ms. Hasina’s comments.

Following the August 5 event, Dhaka reiterated its demand for her extradition and even sought to link it with Mr. Rahman’s planned trip to India.

Mr. Kobir on Saturday (August 22, 2026) said Dhaka and New Delhi have an extradition treaty, and the issue of Ms. Hasina’s extradition remained part of the ongoing engagement between the two countries.

His remarks came on the same day when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that for any relationship to work, it must meet the test of “mutual interest”, in an apparent reference to India’s engagement with Bangladesh and other neighbouring countries.

Bangladesh said on Sunday (August 16, 2026) that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would not visit India until New Delhi extradited Sheikh Hasina, the Bangladeshi former premier who fled during a 2024 uprising.

The countries have had a strained relationship since deadly anti-government protests brought down Ms. Hasina’s government and prompted her to escape to neighbouring India, where she remains.

She faces the death penalty in Bangladesh after being convicted of crimes against humanity, and Dhaka has repeatedly requested her extradition.

Speaking to reporters on Sunday (August 16, 2026), Foreign Ministry official A.K.M. Shahidul Karim played down media speculation about a possible trip by Mr. Rahman to India next week.

“We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit,” he told reporters. “To this end, we have urged the Indian authorities to expedite their efforts to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitives.”

India has said Bangladesh’s extradition request is “under examination”.

Mr. Rahman took office in February and has since visited Malaysia and China, departing from the tradition of Bangladeshi leaders heading to India for their first overseas trip.

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, met Mr. Rahman last week, fuelling speculation over a possible breakthrough.

Officials from Bangladesh and India have been in contact in recent weeks about the possibility of a visit by Mr. Rahman, Mr. Karim said. “But the process has been vitiated by Sheikh Hasina’s open media interactions, despite her being a convict in crimes against humanity.”

Ms. Hasina, a former pro-democracy leader whom critics said grew increasingly autocratic during her 15-year rule, vowed this month that she would return to Bangladesh in December even if it meant imprisonment.

Mr. Karim also said the government would pursue a “Bangladesh First” foreign policy rooted in sovereignty and non-interference while seeking mutually beneficial ties with India and other countries.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s foreign visit plans will not impact bilateral ties with India as Dhaka-New Delhi relation has its own dynamics and requirements that are important on their own, said an official source here on Wednesday (June 17, 2026). The remarks from the official came against the backdrop of reports that Mr. Rahman who came to power on February 17 will undertake his first round of foreign visits next week that will take him to Malaysia and China. Sources in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have told The Hindu that Prime Minister Rahman is considering visiting India in July, after returning from the first round of foreign tours.

“Bangladesh’s relation with India cannot be replaced by any other country. We share nearly 4,000 km of border and no one can replace the work that India does for Bangladesh,” said a source emphasising that Delhi’s relation with Dhaka is independent of any foreign visits by the leadership of Bangladesh. He further said that the two sides need to maintain positive momentum in relationship that will help in re-tracking the relationship that has remained in turmoil since the overthrow of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Last weekend, the High Commissioner-designate of India Dinesh Trivedi reached Bangladesh through the land border in West Bengal and called for resolving differences between the two sides through dialogue.

Jamaat-e-Islami, the main opposition party in the Bangladesh parliament, however, launched a series of rallies in Dhaka and Chittagong protesting against the remarks of Mr. Trivedi, arguing that the envoy had talked about uniting Bangladesh with India. Talking to The Hindu, the official source on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) blamed social media for the controversy and said, “He had referred to bringing the people of the two countries closer through dialogue.” Prime Minister Rahman is expected to return from China on June 25 or 26 by when High Commissioner Trivedi is expected to settle in his new role in Dhaka, and that is expected to help in formalising high-level talks between the two sides.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent an invitation letter to Prime Minister Rahman through Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri who, along with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, had participated in Mr. Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony in Dhaka on February 17. Mr. Rahman, however, has not been able to visit Delhi so far, though his Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Special Adviser on Foreign Affairs Humayun Kobir visited Delhi in the second week of April ahead of the Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, where Mr. Rahman had participated in the discussion alongside External Affairs Minister Jaishankar. Sources in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party had told The Hindu earlier that Prime Minister Rahman’s plans to visit India would come up soon after he returned from Malaysia and China. “A visit to India is definitely on the cards. It can happen soon after the China visit,” a source in BNP had said.