PM Tarique greets Modi on 76th birthday

Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today (17 September) greeted his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on his 76th birthday, wishing him good health and continued energy in his service to the people of India.

In a message posted on the prime minister's official Facebook page, Tarique wrote: "Warmest birthday wishes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Wishing you many happy returns of the day. May your dedicated service to the people of India always be accompanied by good health and high spirit."

The message comes as Dhaka and New Delhi continue diplomatic engagement amid strains in bilateral relations following the change of government in Bangladesh in 2024.

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also thanked his Bangladesh counterpart Tarique Rahman for his "warm" birthday wishes, saying he deeply appreciated his kind words.

"Thank you, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, for your warm wishes. I deeply appreciate your kind words," Modi said in a post on his official X account.

Modi also received birthday wishes from several other foreign leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The presence of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in India, Dhaka's request for her extradition and other unresolved bilateral issues have remained sensitive matters in relations between the two countries.

On 15 September, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said New Delhi had not received any information from Bangladesh regarding a proposed bilateral visit by Tarique.

"On the visit of Bangladesh prime minister, we have not heard anything on this. As and when we have something to update you, we will get back to you," Jaiswal said at a biweekly media briefing in New Delhi.

However, responding to another question, Jaiswal said India had invited Tarique for a bilateral visit before extending a separate invitation for the BRICS summit.

"So, he received two invitations – one for a bilateral visit and another for the BRICS summit," he said.

The remarks came amid reports that Dhaka and New Delhi were discussing a possible bilateral visit by the Bangladesh prime minister.

The issue of Tarique's possible participation in the BRICS summit had earlier drawn different statements from Bangladesh.

On 10 September, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir said there was no scope for Bangladesh to send a government representative to the BRICS summit, as the invitation had been extended to the chair of BIMSTEC rather than directly to the Bangladesh prime minister.

"How shall we go? Has anyone from the Bangladesh government been invited? Our prime minister was not invited. Who told you that our prime minister was invited? The BIMSTEC chair was invited. Then why are you asking this question?" he told reporters.

Meanwhile, when asked on 15 September whether India had requested Bangladesh to export hilsa, Jaiswal said he had no update on the matter.