Amid the brewing diplomatic friction between New Delhi and Dhaka, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, met the country’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday.
Amid the brewing diplomatic friction between New Delhi and Dhaka, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, met the country’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday. According to the statement released by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting took place at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
While the takeaways from the meeting are yet to be revealed, it is coming amid a diplomatic row over a virtual press interaction by former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.
The press briefing by the ousted premier garnered strong objections from Dhaka. During her address, Hasina stated that she remains resolute about returning to her homeland in December to put the nation on the “right track” by restoring democracy. While she made promises, she acknowledged the risk of imprisonment or a death sentence that looms over her.
Soon after the presser, the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs registered a strong protest and condemned the statements made by Hasina. They noted that Hasina’s remarks impacted public sentiments and complicated the ongoing efforts to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Trivedi keeps a conciliatory tone
In the midst of the chaos, the Indian envoy to Bangladesh maintained a conciliatory tone and extended his support to Rahman. Addressing reporters after inaugurating a Children’s Corner at the Indian Visa Application Centre in Dhaka, Indian High Commissioner Trivedi lauded the leadership of both India and Dhaka.
“The Prime Minister of Bangladesh… we all respect him a lot. I have listened to his speeches many times, and he talks from his heart. This, I have seen. He is a people’s person. And our Prime Minister is also of the people,” Trivedi said.
He went on to emphasise the importance of direct diplomatic engagement. “I feel that when… when two leaders meet, a lot of problems are solved. Problems are sorted out when we talk to each other. And I have full confidence that people are together, and a solution will definitely happen… it will happen. I am very confident. There is nothing negative here; everything is positive,” he said.
The Brics invitation in question
It is pertinent to note that Trivedi arrived in Dhaka on June 12 as India’s High Commissioner. His Monday meeting with Rahman is structured as a “courtesy call”. However, the development follows India’s invitation to Prime Minister Rahman to attend the upcoming Brics Summit in September.
Earlier, PM Modi extended the invitation to Rahman since Bangladesh is the current chair of Bimstec. Dhaka, on the other hand, is yet to formally announce its decision regarding attendance. Clarifying its stance on Hasina’s presser, New Delhi on Friday maintained that it had no involvement in the media event.
It also stated that India does not endorse statements made regarding the Bangladeshi administration. Hasina is currently facing a death sentence ordered by Bangladesh’s special tribunal in November 2025 over her handling of the 2024 unrest.
With inputs from ANI.
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