Amidst tension in India-Bangladesh relations, High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi calls on PM Tarique Rahman
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Monday (August 10, 2026) called on Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tarique Rahman amid tensions in bilateral relations
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Monday (August 10, 2026) called on Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tarique Rahman amid tensions in bilateral relations generated after exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed a virtual press conference here on August 5, in which she criticised Mr. Rahman’s government. Diplomatic sources in New Delhi have interpreted the meeting as a positive development, as it came at a time when Dhaka is also hosting a high-level security-related delegation from India. Sources further informed that the meeting was cordial and that the Bangladeshi side consisted of Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Foreign Affairs Adviser to the PM Humayun Kobir. High Commissioner Trivedi was accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission Pawan Badhe. The Government of Bangladesh had said that it was “outraged” by the remarks made by Ms. Hasina in the press conference that was held in New Delhi’s Foreign Correspondent Club (FCC) that was also attended by Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Ms. Hasina’s son.
Prime Minister Rahman’s foreign affairs adviser Humayun Kobir had met High Commissioner Trivedi before the press conference in FCC saying that Ms. Hasina’s political activities from Indian soil could ‘harm’ positive movements in bilateral ties. Following the press conference, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka had said, “Dhaka deeply regrets that in spite of concerns conveyed a priori to the Government of India about the likely ramifications of this event on the reset of our bilateral relations, this public event was permitted to be held.” Responding to the Bangladesh government’s response, the Ministry of External Affairs here on Friday (August 7, 2026) said that New Delhi does not endorse the comments made against Prime Minister Rahman’s government at Sheikh Hasina’s press conference. “The Government had no role in what was an event by a private media entity. The Government does not endorse anything said at the forum, especially against the duly constituted government of Bangladesh,” said Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday (August 7, 2026).
Rahman took charge after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, under his leadership, won a landslide victory in the February 12 2026, election, the first national election since Ms. Hasina’s Awami League government was toppled in the monsoon uprising of 2024. On August 5, 2024, Ms. Hasina fled to India and ever since she has been based in New Delhi. India has maintained a cautious approach towards Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and multiple outreaches were made to Dhaka since he came to power. In February 17, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended his swearing-in ceremony and subsequently India extended an invite for a bilateral meeting that was followed by an invite to attend the BRICS summit in September. The two sides have several projects that have remained unaddressed because of the disruption caused by the fifteen-month long interim government that was dominated by the student protesters who had found space in the government after having successfully toppled the Awami League government.
The BriefWire