India Keeps Door Open For Normalisation Of Bangladesh Ties Despite Hasina Row

Despite the recent hiccups in the India-Bangladesh relationship over the proposed visit of the Bangladesh Prime Minister to India and other glitches from time to time, India is keeping the doors open for normalisation of ties with Bangladesh with the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh meeting high-level officials in the current administration.India's focus remains on people-to-people ties even as the Bangladesh Government maintains that the issue of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is a key focus of the relationship. While Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has put his planned India visit on hold, even as discussions on making the proposed visit happen continue, he has been extended to invites from India. One was an invite from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come to India on a bi-lateral visit while a second invite was extended to him to visit the hugely successful and recently concluded BRICS Summit in New Delhi in his capacity as Chair of the BIMSTEC. Rahman did not attend the BRICS summit. The Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi has often spoken about prioritising people's issues and aspirations of the people of both countries rather than politics, which he said will continue at its own level.High Commissioner Shri Dinesh Trivedi met with the Adviser to the Prime Minister for Policy and Strategy; Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman on 13 September 2026.The meeting included discussions on wide range of… pic.twitter.com/K42g8zXLnM— India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 13, 2026"High Commissioner Shri Dinesh Trivedi met with the Adviser to the Prime Minister for Policy and Strategy, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman on 13 September 2026. The meeting included discussions on wide range of topics in the India-Bangladesh relations. Both dignitaries expressed optimism that the two vibrant democracies will continue to work together to enhance people to people relations", the Indian High Commission said in a statement. Zahed Ur Rahman had a brief visit to Delhi earlier this year which resulted in a diplomatic standoff. Zahed, a known political commentator and a top official in the current administration, was stopped for questioning by the authorities at the New Delhi airport after his name was reportedly flagged during a routine security check. Rahman decided to return home and not enter India. India had said that the Bangladeshi prime minister's adviser had arrived in India carrying a personal passport and not a diplomatic one which he should have had according to usual practice.Later, Zahed said the Bangladeshi government wants better ties with India."So, we want to engage with India from a position of mutual importance and mutual respect. Apart from business and trade, there are a lot of areas where we can improve ties. We have come down from the position we took earlier," Zahed."During the interim government the relationship went into a bad state. We want to keep that aside and engage with India. We want business and trade. Our exchanges can take place in many forms," Zahed added.The Indian High Commissioner also met another key minister in Dhaka and this is a key meeting because water resources pertaining to trans-boundary rivers are crucial in the India-Bangladesh relationship.The Indo-Bangladesh Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, signed in 1996, is due to expire in December this year."High Commissioner Shri Dinesh Trivedi held a meeting with the Minister of Water Resources of Bangladesh, Mr. Md. Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, on 13 September 2026. Minister of State Mr. Forhad Hossain Azad was also present. The discussion highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral engagement for achieving the shared aspirations of the peoples of the two neighbouring countries," the Indian High Commission said in a statement. High Commissioner Shri Dinesh Trivedi held a meeting with the Minister of Water Resources of Bangladesh, Mr. Md. Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee, on 13 September 2026. Minister of State Mr. Forhad Hossain Azad was also present.The discussion highlighted the importance of… pic.twitter.com/w9wX5N3nJ0— India in Bangladesh (@ihcdhaka) September 13, 2026The Ganges, known as the Padma after entering Bangladesh through the northwestern Chapai Nawabganj district, is a major river system in the lower riparian deltaic nation, criss-crossed by hundreds of rivers, including 54 originating in or flowing through India.The 2,240-metre-long Farakka Barrage, situated in Farakka in West Bengal just before the river enters Bangladesh from India, was built to divert water from the Ganga into the Hooghly river to flush sediments and maintain navigability at Kolkata Port. Discussions on the renewal of the treaty are ongoing through bilateral mechanisms set up for the purpose.Bangladesh has indicated that the renewal of the treaty will also form a key element of the larger bi-lateral relationship.