Indian envoy reassures Delhi’s intent to rebuild ties with Bangladesh

DHAKA: India is willing to rebuild ties with Bangladesh with a “forward-looking approach”, Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma conveyed to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday.

The meeting came as India and Bangladesh are making efforts to rebuild bilateral ties after Rahman became prime minister following his Bangladesh Nationalist Party's victory in the February parliamentary polls.

The ties between the two nations came under severe strain during the past tenure of Bangladesh’s interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus.

During the meeting, Verma and Rahman "discussed bilateral engagement with a focus on people-centric cooperation in multiple domains aligned with the national development priorities of the two countries," the Indian High Commission said in an X post.

The High Commissioner also conveyed "India’s intent to work together with the Government and people of Bangladesh by adopting a positive, constructive and forward-looking approach and based on mutual interest and mutual benefit."

The state-run BSS news agency, quoting a premier’s office spokesman, said Verma paid a courtesy call on Rahman at his Cabinet Division office in Bangladesh Secretariat here, without any immediate elaboration.

However, officials familiar with the meeting said the envoy told Rahman that India and Bangladesh should transform their geographical proximity into new opportunities through strengthened economy, connectivity and enhanced cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, the premier’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, and Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pawan Badhe were among those present at the meeting.

The high commissioner’s call came a day ahead of Foreign Minister Kahlilur Rahman’s planned New Delhi visit, when he is likely to meet his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

India has shown its willingness to rebuild ties with Dhaka since the February 12 elections brought Rahman’s BNP to power.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla represented the Indian government at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected BNP government on February 17, bringing with him a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"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.