Published: 01:03 AM, 20 June 2026
Tarique Rahman's Foreign Visit Plans Will Not Overshadow India-Bangladesh Ties: Report
Indian parliament Speaker Om Birla handing over PM Modi's invitation to PM Tarique Rahman in Dhaka on 17th February 2026. Photo:-Agency
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to embark on his inaugural round of official overseas visits next week, with itineraries finalized for Malaysia and China.
An official Indian source stated on Wednesday (June 17, 2026) that Prime Minister Rahman's upcoming foreign travel will not impact bilateral relations with India, emphasizing that Dhaka-New Delhi ties possess a unique strategic dynamic and mutual necessities that stand on their own merit. These observations come amid reports that Mr. Rahman, who assumed office on February 17, will commence his first foreign tour next week. Sources within the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have informed The Hindu that the Prime Minister is considering an official visit to India in July, immediately following his return from the first leg of his overseas tour.
Bangladesh PM’s Adviser barred at Delhi Airport Due to 'Blacklist' Entry "Bangladesh's relationship with India cannot be substituted by any other nation. We share a border spanning nearly 4,000 kilometers, and the depth of India's engagement with Bangladesh is irreplaceable," a source remarked, underscoring that New Delhi's ties with Dhaka remain independent of any foreign visits by the Bangladeshi leadership. The source further noted that both nations must sustain positive diplomatic momentum to stabilize a bilateral relationship that has faced significant volatility since the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in August 2024. Last weekend, India's High Commissioner-designate, Dinesh Trivedi, entered Bangladesh via the land border in West Bengal and emphasized the need to resolve bilateral differences through constructive dialogue.
Conversely, Jamaat-e-Islami, the principal opposition party in the Bangladeshi parliament, staged a series of rallies in Dhaka and Chittagong to protest Mr. Trivedi's remarks, alleging that the envoy's statements insinuated an integration of Bangladesh with India. Speaking to The Hindu on Wednesday, the official source dismissed the controversy as social media misinformation, clarifying, "The High Commissioner-designate was simply referring to bridging the gap between the peoples of both nations through dialogue." Prime Minister Rahman is expected to return from China by June 25 or 26, coinciding with High Commissioner Trivedi establishing his office in Dhaka, a alignment anticipated to facilitate formal high-level bilateral talks.
Bangladesh PM's Adviser Returns Following Delhi Airport Incident; Cites 'Humiliation' by Immigration Officials Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had previously extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Rahman via Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. Mr. Misri, alongside Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, had attended Mr. Rahman's inauguration ceremony in Dhaka on February 17. Although Prime Minister Rahman has yet to visit New Delhi, his Foreign Minister, Khalilur Rahman, and Special Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Humayun Kobir, traveled to Delhi in the second week of April. This visit preceded the Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, where Mr. Rahman participated in deliberations alongside Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. High-ranking BNP sources previously confirmed to the Indian daily The Hindu that plans for the Prime Minister's visit to India would be formalized immediately after his return from Malaysia and China. "A visit to India is definitively on the agenda and is highly likely to take place shortly after the China trip," a BNP official stated.
