PORIMOL PALMA

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman’s first visit to India after the BNP government assumed office has been described as a positive beginning, though the future of high‑stakes bilateral relations will hinge on how both countries address longstanding and emerging challenges.

During the three-day visit to India on his way to Mauritius to attend the Indian Ocean Conference from April 10-11, he met Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Oil and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

While Bangladesh described it as a “goodwill visit”, India had put it as an official one. Foreign policy analysts think the meetings were more about understanding each other’s points of views to take forward the relations after strained relations during the interim government period since August 2024.

Indian officials indicated that engagement with an elected government and the recent developments suggest a shift.

Jaishankar’s attendance at the funeral of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s attending the BNP government’s oath-taking ceremony, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s multiple messages to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and invitation to visit India -- all indicate New Delhi’s eagerness to mend ties with Dhaka.

Dhaka responded positively by resuming all categories of visas for Indians and sending Khalilur Rahman to New Delhi. There are indications of a visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India, though a date has not been fixed yet.

Following the meetings, Dhaka and New Delhi issued separate statements committing to improve overall relations, but many of the specific challenges in their relations remained untouched or were not made public.

Bangladesh had raised the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and others accused in the killing of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. While India has agreed to extradite those accused in Hadi’s killing, the statements did not mention any response regarding Hasina or Kamal.

“This suggests there was no consensus on the matter,” said former

SEE PAGE 8 COL 5