From Dhaka to Delhi: Trivedi delivers
Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi, a day after meeting Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka. The back to back meetings come as both sides seek to improve ties, with Dhaka pressing India on Sheikh Hasina's extradition and the return of people accused in Osman Hadi's murder.
In a Nutshell:
- Trivedi met Modi on August 11 right after his meeting with PM Tarique the day before.
- Tarique raised Bangladesh's requests for Sheikh Hasina's extradition and the return of people it says were involved in Osman Hadi's murder.
- India has invited Tarique to Delhi for a bilateral visit and the September BRICS outreach session, but he has not confirmed whether he will attend.
Context
Trivedi is the first politician appointed as India's high commissioner to Bangladesh, breaking with the usual practice of sending career diplomats to the Dhaka post. The 75 year old BJP leader, former railway minister and Gujarat born politician arrived in Bangladesh on June 12 and said the two countries "share the same sky, the same air, the same pain" and pledged to pursue steps that benefit people on both sides. His meetings with PM Tarique Rahman and then Indian PM Modi reaffirm his role in mending the strained bilateral ties between Bangladesh and India.
Why it matters
Trivedi's meeting with Modi in Delhi right after his first meeting with PM Tarique in Dhaka could indicate an attempt to repair deeper strain in bilateral ties, particularly after India allowed ousted former PM Sheikh Hasina to hold a virtual press interaction from Delhi. Dhaka's Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded with a sharply worded statement that called Hasina a convicted "genocider" and strongly urged India to expedite her extradition, while also demanding the return of those accused in Osman Hadi's murder. India is meanwhile seeking closer engagement with PM Tarique. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has invited him for a bilateral visit and the BRICS outreach session in Delhi as BIMSTEC chair, but did not confirm whether Tarique had accepted. Previously, India had extended an invitation to PM Tarique to the BRICS summit right after his election in February. Tarique's decision on the invitation will show whether Bangladesh is willing to move ahead with closer engagement with India while its demands over Hasina's extradition and Osman Hadi's alleged killers remain unresolved.
What we think
India has always sent diplomats to Bangladesh but, this time, they sent a politician. Is Delhi trying a more political approach to managing its relationship with Dhaka? Trivedi's appointment comes as the relationship is being tested by India's slow cooperation with Dhaka's request to expedite Hasina's extradition and return Osman Hadi's alleged killers. Whether this approach can improve ties will depend heavily on whether India moves on those demands, while Tarique's response to India's repeated BRICS invitation will show how willing Dhaka is to engage in return.