- Indian envoy met Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.
- Discussions included BRICS Summit participation and Hasina's status.
- Meetings aimed to ease recent diplomatic tensions between nations.
In a significant diplomatic development, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday. The meeting took place one week after deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina delivered a virtual address at a foreign press club in New Delhi.
This engagement between the two neighbouring countries carries particular importance amid widespread speculation about Rahman’s possible attendance at the upcoming BRICS Summit.
India is scheduled to host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13. As the host nation, India is expected to extend formal invitations to all member countries of the intergovernmental organisation, which comprises eleven major emerging economies and developing nations.
Indian envoy meets Bangladeshi PM in Dhaka
However, recent diplomatic tensions have fuelled questions over whether Rahman will participate. A video released by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office shows High Commissioner Trivedi meeting Rahman in Dhaka. Trivedi appears to present a shawl, which the Prime Minister accepts with a smile.
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#WATCH | Dhaka, Bangladesh: High Commissioner of India to Dhaka, Dinesh Trivedi, meets Bangladesh PM, Tarique Rahman.
— ANI (@ANI) August 10, 2026
(Source: Bangladesh PM Office) pic.twitter.com/eaJyzjaXuj
According to local media reports, High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi held a separate meeting with the Bangladeshi foreign minister on Sunday that lasted nearly one and a half hours. Media accounts described the discussions as “meaningful” and indicated that the talks helped ease some of the recent discomfort between the two countries. The Indian envoy is also reported to have raised the question of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s participation in the upcoming BRICS Summit. The Hasina issue was likewise discussed during the meeting. Official confirmation of the details from either side is still awaited.
Wild speculations over BRICS Summit
Before his meeting with Rahman, Trivedi stated that outstanding problems between the two nations could be resolved through direct talks between their top leaders. Speculation persists, however, that the High Commissioner made clear New Delhi’s unchanged position on Dhaka’s demand for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina or her return to Bangladesh as a convicted person. The Indian government has firmly maintained that Hasina, who is a guest in India, will not be handed over to Bangladesh under any circumstances.
India has further strongly stated that the Indian government is sincerely willing to have Tarique Rahman, as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, visit Delhi in full state capacity on a bilateral visit this year, not only at the BRICS summit, but also as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh. However, according to Bangladeshi news outlet Prothom Alo, it is unlikely Rahman would attend the summit in New Delhi. However, any official announcement from Dhaka is awaited.
What led to recent friction between Bangladesh and India
The latest friction between the relations between the two neighbouring nations have been reported after Hasina on Wednesday declared that she is determined to return home in December to put the country on the "right track" by restoring democracy, notwithstanding the risk of facing the threat of imprisonment or a death sentence.
"They may kill me"
The Bangladesh foreign ministry reacted sharply to Hasina's media interaction and said the country is "outraged" as the interaction was permitted to be held despite Dhaka conveying concerns to New Delhi over the likely ramifications of the event on the bilateral relations.
"I know, they may put me in jail or kill me," Hasina said, adding, "I will go back home to be with my people."
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The Awami League leader also described India as a "great friend" of Bangladesh and said it always stood by her country in times of difficulty. In her comments, Hasina delved into the prevailing political environment in her country and the challenges facing its people, asserting that her return is not about power but to put Bangladesh back on the track of development, secularism and prosperity.
(With inputs from agency)