FM’s India visit: Dhaka to push key bilateral concerns in talks with Delhi

Bangladesh is keen to see bilateral relations return to normalcy on the basis of 'mutual respect and mutual gains,' as Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman prepares to visit India on a 'goodwill' trip this week which comes amid increased engagement between the two countries in recent weeks.

Although Dhaka prefers to describe the trip as a 'goodwill visit,' officials told UNB that it will involve substantive discussions with New Delhi to 'better understand current dynamics' and to raise issues of key importance to Bangladesh.

In addition to his meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Khalilur is scheduled to hold talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

Bangladesh will reiterate its request for the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as well as seek the swift return of other accused individuals including prime suspect Faisal Karim Masud who was arrested in Kolkata in connection with the killing of Shahid Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, convenor of the Inqilab Moncho.

"It may take time but we want to see their return as soon as possible," a senior official told UNB, referring to extradition of accused (Hadi's murder). 

Dhaka will also urge a more positive approach from India regarding the full resumption of visa services, noting that India stands to benefit significantly from medical tourism.

Border management will be another key issue, with Bangladesh emphasising that it does not want to see any loss of life along the border.

The two sides are also expected to discuss energy cooperation, water-sharing of common rivers, and measures to ease trade barriers.

The Foreign Minister is scheduled to depart for New Delhi tomorrow afternoon (7 April), before continuing on to Mauritius. Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir will accompany him during the New Delhi leg of the visit.

Both sides are now working to retune bilateral relations, a move that could usher in a new phase of cooperation on a range of issues important to both Dhaka and Delhi and lend genuine momentum to the relationship, officials said.

This will mark the first high-level visit to India since the BNP government, led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, assumed office, following a period of significant strain in bilateral relations.

"The meeting between the two foreign ministers will be held in New Delhi on April 8," a senior official told UNB, without elaborating further.

Bangladesh and India share deep-rooted bonds of history, language, culture, and multitude of other commonalities, said an official, noting that in any bilateral meeting all issues of mutual interest come up for discussion.

The two Foreign Ministers are likely to discuss cooperation in the areas of energy, water sharing, border management, visa, people-to-people ties, he said adding that a future visit of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India may also come up for discussion at the meeting.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already invited Prime Minister Tarique, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman to pay a visit to India at a convenient time.

"I take this opportunity to invite you, along with Dr Zubaida Rahman and your daughter Zaima, on a visit to India at a mutually convenient time. A warm welcome awaits you in India," Modi said in his letter handed over to PM Tarique by Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha Om Birla who represented the government of India at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected government of Bangladesh.

Prime Minister Modi said he looks forward to working closely with Prime Minister Tarique 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.

Asked whether the Prime Minister would consider India for his first bilateral visit, a diplomatic source told UNB that Bangladesh would take a decision "creatively" on the matter.

Forward-tooking ties

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma today (6 April) reaffirmed India's intent to work together with the Government and the people of Bangladesh in a 'positive, constructive and forward-looking manner' based on mutual interest and mutual benefit.

The Indian envoy conveyed the intent when he paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at his office.

They discussed bilateral engagement with focus on people-centric cooperation in multiple domains aligned with the national development priorities of the two countries, said the High Commission after the meeting.

The discussions focused  on enhancing cooperation in a wide range of areas including public health, financial inclusion, women's empowerment, rural development, bilateral trade and investment, ease of doing business, technology partnerships, and power and energy cooperation.

The High Commissioner underlined that India-Bangladesh cooperation should transform their geographical proximity into new opportunities by strengthening economic and connectivity linkages, and by enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Water Sharing Issues

The subject of water is widely seen as a sensitive issue and Bangladesh always keeps talking about its long pending request for concluding the agreement on the sharing of the waters of the Teesta River, the draft of which was finalised in 2011. The two countries share 54 common rivers, including the Teesta.

In India's federal scheme of things, nothing is done without consultations with the State Government and any agreement that they conclude will have to be acceptable to the State Government of India; at the same time, it would also have to be acceptable to Bangladesh, officials said.

The Bangladesh-India Ganga/Ganges Water Treaty was signed on December 12, 1996 and is expiring in December this year.

As discussions for its renewal are yet to commence between the two countries, officials said this might be one of the issues to be discussed this time.

In July 2024, the governments of Bangladesh and India had decided to begin discussions on renewal of the Ganga Water Treaty.

The discussions are yet to commence in this regard and no fresh agreement has been ratified between the two countries.

The Indian side had offered to renew it in 2024 but the interim government did not pursue it at that time, a diplomatic source in New Delhi told UNB.

Inputs on drinking water and industrial water requirements have also been received from all stakeholders including from the government of West Bengal, which have been taken into account while formulating the Indian government's views.

Visa Issues

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, in his recent meetings with the Ministers in Dhaka, explored new areas for future collaboration in people-centric domains aligned with the respective developmental priorities of the two countries based on mutual interest and mutual benefit.

The two sides also discussed various aspects of Bangladesh-India economic cooperation, including ways to strengthen transport, energy and digital connectivity between the two countries.

At the foreign minister–level meeting, the Bangladesh side is expected to raise the visa issue as tourist visas for Bangladeshis have remained suspended since July 2024 on security grounds.

Indian visa centres in Bangladesh are still understaffed, suggesting that a full resumption of services may take time, a diplomatic source said, adding that the restart will be announced once finalised.

India thinks the two countries can truly become catalysts for each other's sustainable growth, work for each other's security and enable mutual prosperity as two fast-growing economies and aspiring societies.

Bangladesh and India on Thursday discussed ways to enhance bilateral defence cooperation, including joint training initiatives.

The issues were discussed when Bangladesh High Commissioner to India M Riaz Hamidullah met Indian Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi at the South Block.

They also explored opportunities for deeper collaboration aimed at promoting regional peace and security.

The envoy said he was pleased to meet General Upendra Dwivedi and reflect on Bangladesh-India ties, including defence cooperation.