India, Bangladesh hold back-channel talks to finalise Tarique Rahman visit
India and Bangladesh are holding back-channel discussions to work out a fresh schedule for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to New Delhi, after plans for a two-day trip this month were put on hold over unresolved issues, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.
The visit was expected to take place on August 23 and 24. India had earlier invited Rahman for bilateral talks as well as to attend the outreach session of the BRICS summit to be held in New Delhi.
With uncertainty continuing over the visit, diplomatic efforts are underway between the two sides to resolve the outstanding issues and create conditions for the trip to go ahead, the people cited above said.
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has held a series of meetings with senior Bangladeshi leaders in recent weeks, including Rahman. The discussions have focused on improving the atmosphere between the two countries and taking bilateral ties forward.
Asked about the proposed visit at his media briefing on Friday, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal did not confirm any schedule.
"I have nothing to say on this matter. If I have any updates, I will share them with you," he said.
The uncertainty over Rahman's visit also came amid a change in arrangements at Rashtrapati Bhavan. An official communication about the cancellation of Saturday's Change of Guard ceremony to make way for a full rehearsal of Rahman's ceremonial welcome was withdrawn earlier on Friday.
Trivedi, meanwhile, met Bangladesh Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and discussed bilateral development projects and other issues of mutual interest.
India said three days ago that it wanted "positive and constructive" relations with Bangladesh based on "mutuality of interests and reciprocity".
The relationship has faced renewed strain following a virtual media interaction by former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina from New Delhi on August 5. Dhaka has since renewed its demand for her extradition and has also sought to link the issue to Rahman's proposed visit to India.
New Delhi has maintained that it had no role in organising Hasina's media interaction and did not endorse her remarks.
The Bangladesh foreign ministry had criticised the event, saying it was "outraged" that the interaction was allowed despite Dhaka raising concerns about its possible impact on bilateral relations.
Hasina, 78, was removed from power in August 2024 following violent student-led protests and has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh on August 5 that year.
Jaiswal also addressed questions on the Ganga Water Treaty during Friday's briefing, saying the 1996 agreement between India and Bangladesh remains in force for its stipulated 30-year period.
"As you would be aware the Ganga Water Treaty was signed in 1996 for a period of 30 years. All river-related issues between India and Bangladesh are discussed under the Joint Rivers Commission," he said.
"Further, meetings of the Joint Committee under the Ganga Water Treaty continue to be held at the technical level," he added.
