Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s anticipated first trip to India is on hold amid diplomatic turbulence following a virtual press conference by ousted leader Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi. Dhaka demands an extradition response and a reset in bilateral ties before scheduling the visit.
Diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Dhaka face a fresh test as plans for a high-profile visit by Bangladesh’s new leadership stall. What was supposed to be a diplomatic milestone for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instead exposed underlying tensions rooted in the dramatic political upheaval of 2024.
The Stalled Visit and the Cancelled Presidential Welcome
Speculation over Rahman visiting the Indian capital reached a peak when an official email from the Indian president’s office announced the cancellation of a weekend Change of Guard ceremony because rehearsals were underway for a ceremonial welcome of the Bangladeshi leader. No official visit had been announced at the time, and the message was withdrawn within hours.
No decision has yet been made on the visit, according to AAM Saleh, the Bangladeshi prime minister’s press secretary. While New Delhi extended an invitation to Rahman for a stand-alone visit ahead of a scheduled BRICS summit chaired by India, the prime minister is yet to accept the offer.
Sheikh Hasina’s Exile and the Outrage Over New Delhi Speeches
The primary stumbling block involves the continued presence of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India. Hasina fled to India after a July 2024 student-led uprising forced her out of office following 15 years in power. Relations between the two neighbors deteriorated sharply under an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus before Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a landslide victory in February parliamentary elections.
Tensions flared anew on August 5, marking two years since Hasina’s ouster, when she virtually addressed a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in New Delhi. During the event, Hasina accused Rahman’s government of suppressing her supporters and vowed to return to Bangladesh in December. Dhaka expressed outrage that she was allowed to speak publicly on Indian soil, declaring that the event vitiated the atmosphere for a bilateral summit.
India’s foreign ministry maintained it had no role in the event and did not endorse the statements. However, Bangladesh insists that a propitious environment must be created, directly linking the diplomatic freeze to the extradition request for Hasina, who was sentenced to death in absentia.
Overtures from India and the Question of Extradition
Despite the diplomatic friction, New Delhi has pursued a concerted effort to reset relations with the new administration. India appointed Dinesh Trivedi, a former minister and member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party, as its envoy to Dhaka in a rare political appointment.
Trivedi publicly urged Bangladeshi officials to move past historical grievances while emphasizing that Modi wanted Rahman’s visit to be memorable and accorded the highest honour. Shyam Saran, a former Indian foreign secretary, noted that New Delhi has gone to great lengths to reach out to Dhaka, noting that India has supplied electricity and fuel, issued medical visas, and revived trade mechanisms.
Yet, Dhaka remains firm on accountability. Rahman’s foreign affairs adviser, Humayun Kabir, stated there is no rush to facilitate the visit, emphasizing that India must properly understand the reality of the July Mass Uprising that took place through the sacrifices of more than 1,500 people. Bangladesh formally requested the extradition of Hasina and other fugitive criminals through an X post on August 16, though New Delhi maintains the request is under review via established procedures that include exceptions for political cases.
Stakes for Regional Stability and Cross-Border Security
The geopolitical stakes remain high for both nations. India and Bangladesh share a 4,096km border, and bilateral trade exceeded $12bn last year in heavily skewed favor of New Delhi. For India, maintaining cooperative relations with its eastern neighbor is vital for security cooperation and transit access to its landlocked northeastern states, road and rail links for which were significantly expanded during Hasina’s tenure.
With Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar declaring that bilateral ties must meet the test of mutual interest
and respect mutual priorities, both sides find themselves weighing the imperatives of economic and regional connectivity against the unresolved legacy of political asylum.
