Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s possible visit to India is emerging as a key test of efforts to move Dhaka-Delhi relationship onto a more constructive footing, with the two sides stepping up consultations but yet to finalise the timing of the visit.
“Everything, I’m reading - not only here in India, but also in Bangladesh - they are all saying possibilities. So I think these are all speculation in the absence of an official confirmation. Nobody clearly knows yet. However, there appeared to be interest on both sides in making the visit happen,” a diplomatic source told UNB, stressing that India is ready to host the Bangladesh Prime Minister anytime.
If the visit takes place, it would be Tarique Rahman's first trip to India as Bangladesh's Prime Minister who visited Malaysia and China in June this year.
“We have extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. We've also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a visit to India for the outreach session of the BRICS Summit,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Friday evening.
“So, these invitations have been extended, and I shall keep you updated if there is any progress in this regard,” he added.
On Thursday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visits to India and Japan have not yet been finalised, saying the timing will depend on the Prime Minister's schedule and the progress of discussions between the countries.
"The government is busy, the Prime Minister is busy," she told reporters, referring to the government's ongoing domestic programmes and upcoming constitutional activities.
Asked whether the Prime Minister would attend the upcoming BRICS Summit's outreach session or make a bilateral visit, the State Minister said there is still sufficient time to make a decision. "A lot can happen in a month," she said.
Multifaceted Relations
Responding to a question on energy cooperation with Bangladesh, the MEA Spokesperson said they have an ongoing arrangement with Bangladesh for the supply of diesel, and this continues.
Regarding the additional request, Jaiswal said this will be examined keeping in mind their own requirements, refining capacity, as well as the availability of diesel in their country.
"We import diesel from India through the pipeline, and we have requested them to supply more," Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood said August 6.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a letter to his Bangladesh counterpart in February said he looks forward to working closely with the Bangladesh Prime Minister to strengthen their “multifaceted” bilateral relations, enhance regional cooperation, and advance their common goals in wide-ranging areas of connectivity, trade, technology, education, skill development, energy, healthcare, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
He invited the Prime Minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and their daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman to pay a visit to India at a convenient time, noting that, “A warm welcome awaits you in India.”
India Ready to Host PM
Asked about preparations for a high-level visit, a senior official said the process would normally begin with the two sides agreeing on dates, followed by formal confirmation of the programme by the host government and confirmation of the Prime Minister’s availability by the visiting side.
Media reports suggest different possible dates - August and September - while preparations are being made to accommodate the visit even at short notice.
“Before any kind of high-level visit, there is a certain amount of time needed for preparation. You don’t have enough time if you want this visit to take place next week,” a source told UNB, adding that there is always an option for an exceptional approach.
Officials need to establish what the leaders are actually going to discuss and whether there are issues that need to be resolved beforehand.
Sources said the proposed visit would require adequate preparation on the Bangladeshi side, particularly if substantive issues are expected to be discussed. “Five days are not enough to negotiate even a simple agreement,” a diplomatic source told UNB.
“From our side, we are ready to host him (PM) anytime,” a source in New Delhi told UNB, adding that it is unclear whether any conditions had been attached to the proposed visit.
He expressed hope that the situation would become clearer soon and that the visit, if confirmed, could take place as planned.
There are issues like former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's extradition request; border management and killings; trade and transit; energy; people-to-people movement; water-sharing of common rivers; security cooperation; and regional and global issues.
Regarding Hasina’s extradition request, the Indian government said the request is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes.
A bilateral visit by the Prime Minister to India would require the two sides to first settle the dates, agenda and political understandings on several sensitive issues, with recent high-level consultations suggesting that groundwork for such an engagement is already under way.
Bangladesh and India appear to be moving fast toward renewed engagement despite fresh tensions over Hasina’s virtual activities in India and Dhaka’s demand for her extradition.
The latest round of diplomatic engagement came after Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi held a series of meetings in Dhaka, including with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed.
The High Commissioner met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday and shared the message he carried from Dhaka after his three important meetings with the Bangladesh leadership.
Trivedi sought guidance from the Indian Prime Minister on further strengthening the multifaceted and enduring relationship between the two neighbours in a constructive manner with a people-centric approach, the source said.
The High Commissioner returned to Dhaka on Friday, a diplomatic source told UNB.
On August 4, India confirmed that an invitation has been extended to the Prime Minister to attend the BRICS Summit as the BIMSTEC Chair, while a separate bilateral invitation has been in place since February this year.
India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, focusing on global cooperation, trade and sustainable development.
"You would be aware that a formal invitation to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit India was extended when he assumed office in February 2026," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.
As far as the BRICS Summit is concerned, he said India has separately extended an invitation to the Bangladesh Prime Minister in his capacity as the current Chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
"The invitation has been extended as per the standard practice being followed in BRICS for the outreach sessions. Other heads of regional groups have also been invited in a similar manner," the MEA spokesperson said.
During the courtesy meeting with the Bangladesh Prime Minister, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tarique Rahman and the intent to work together with the government and the people of Bangladesh in a "positive, constructive and forward-looking" manner.
They exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and discussed avenues for further strengthening bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh with a people-centric approach.
During his meeting with Home Minister Salahuddin, they discussed areas of common interest, including security cooperation between the two countries and ways to further strengthen bilateral relations.
The High Commissioner conveyed India’s willingness to strengthen people-centric cooperation in all domains, based on mutual interest, mutual benefit, and mutual sensitivities.