FROM PAGE 2

reporters after a meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma.

He said the focus would be on strengthening people-to-people ties, moving beyond one-person-driven engagement, and expressed hope that candid dialogue could help address several longstanding challenges.

During the meeting, Pranay Verma reaffirmed India’s intent to work with the government and people of Bangladesh in a “positive, constructive and forward-looking manner” based on mutual interest and benefit.

He said India-Bangladesh cooperation should turn geographical proximity into new opportunities by strengthening economic and connectivity linkages and enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

The visit comes after ties hit a historic low following Bangladesh’s political changeover after the July 2024 uprising, when both countries imposed varying degrees of trade and visa restrictions.

Dhaka has also been angered by deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India and has repeatedly requested her extradition.

Since assuming power, the BNP has indicated that relations with India would not remain tied to the Hasina issue. In late February, Bangladesh missions in India resumed all categories of visas for Indian nationals, while Dhaka now awaits reciprocity from New Delhi.

India has also signalled a willingness to improve ties. These include messages from the Indian prime minister congratulating Tarique Rahman and inviting him to visit New Delhi.

Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended the oath-taking ceremony of the new cabinet. Recently, Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah met S Jaishankar, Piyush Goyal, and Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi.

Diplomatic sources said discussions during the visit would focus on resuming all categories of Indian visas, easing trade routes, energy cooperation, water-sharing of transboundary rivers such as the Ganges and Teesta, and maintaining peace along the border.

“In the first ministerial meetings, Dhaka will definitely raise priority issues, including the Ganges water treaty and the Teesta management project,” a diplomatic source said.

The Ganges water treaty expires in December this year and will be a key test of bilateral relations, he added.

Another diplomatic source said Dhaka would seek to rebuild ties in line with people’s aspirations -- making them people-centric rather than party-centric.