New Delhi: India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka amid renewed tensions between the two neighbouring countries over a recent media interaction by former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi.
The meeting came shortly after Trivedi held discussions with Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir. The diplomatic engagements are being closely watched as New Delhi and Dhaka attempt to rebuild relations following months of political uncertainty.
India has also invited Tarique Rahman to attend the upcoming BRICS summit in his capacity as the current chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation, or BIMSTEC.
The latest diplomatic friction stems from Hasina’s press interaction at an event organised by the Foreign Correspondents Club of South Asia in New Delhi. Bangladesh strongly objected to the programme, describing it as an affront to its sovereignty.
India, however, clarified that the event was organised by a private organisation and that the government had no involvement in it. New Delhi also maintained that it did not endorse the views expressed during the interaction.
The episode has added to existing tensions over Hasina’s presence in India. She fled Bangladesh in 2024 after widespread student protests led to her removal from power and has remained in India since then. Bangladesh has repeatedly sought her extradition after she was sentenced to death by a Bangladeshi court in 2025 over allegations linked to the crackdown on the protests. Hasina has denied wrongdoing.
Despite the diplomatic strain, Trivedi has stressed the importance of continued dialogue. He expressed confidence in India-Bangladesh relations and said direct communication between the two countries’ leaders could help resolve outstanding issues.
The envoy’s comments signal New Delhi’s effort to keep diplomatic channels open and prevent recent disputes from derailing efforts to stabilise bilateral ties.
