Now Reading: Bangladesh PM Rahman’s India visit off, August trip possible
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Bangladesh PM Rahman’s India visit off, August trip possible
Plans for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India early next week have fallen through, though back-channel talks continue to explore a possible trip later in August, people familiar with the…
Plans for Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India early next week have fallen through, though back-channel talks continue to explore a possible trip later in August, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. Preparations had begun for a visit around August 23-24, including a ceremonial welcome and banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan, but those plans are not going ahead. No reason was given for the change.
The confusion deepened on Friday when Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a statement cancelling the weekly Change of Guard ceremony on August 22 due to rehearsals for the Bangladesh PM's welcome, but withdrew it an hour later. A second statement said the earlier release stood withdrawn. Bangladesh PM's Press Secretary A A M Saleh told Reuters no decision on the visit had been made. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal declined to comment.
Hindustan Times reports that back-channel contacts involving Bangladesh foreign affairs adviser Humayun Kabir are ongoing. Kabir told state-run BSS that Rahman's visit ahead of the BRICS Summit on September 12-13 'remains slim unless an appropriate environment is created.' The visit is seen as key to normalising ties strained since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's government in August 2024. Hasina's presence in India and her criticism of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party from Indian soil remain irritants.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Both outlets report the same facts neutrally, with Hindustan Times providing more diplomatic context and Times Now focusing on the Rashtrapati Bhavan statement withdrawal. Neither source takes a government-critical or pro-government stance. The core uncertainty is whether the visit happens in August or gets pushed to September. The withdrawal of the official statement signals that planning remains fluid, and the ball appears to be in Dhaka's court. Watch for Humayun Kabir's expected elevation to minister of state for foreign affairs, which may influence the next move.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): hindustantimes.com (neutral report), timesnownews.com (neutral report)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
