Question mark on Rahman visit as Delhi, Dhaka push to dial down chill

Negotiations between India and Bangladesh are underway over the continued presence of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in India, her recent controversial statements, and the impact these could have on bilateral relations. The Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, was the first to congratulate Rahman upon his election as Bangladesh's Prime Minister in February, setting a positive tone for the relationship.

However, tensions have resurfaced six months into Rahman's leadership due to Hasina's recent remarks marking the two-year anniversary of her government's downfall. Hasina announced her intention to return to Bangladesh possibly in December, but suggested she might face death upon her return due to a death sentence in Bangladesh courts.

Following India's gesture of sending External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to attend the funeral of his mother and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Hasina urged Bangladeshi Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders to refrain from targeting India during the election campaign. Rahman, after his victory in the February elections, was among the first to call Modi, signaling a positive relationship.

However, the atmosphere soured after the detention and pushback of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, which was met with anger in Dhaka. Rahman had initially visited China to signal this to Delhi, and later, in July, both sides attempted to reschedule a bilateral visit, but it did not materialize due to the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

India had also invited Rahman to the BRICS leaders' summit in September, and the Indian side proposed August 21 as a possible date for Rahman's visit. However, just after proposing this date, Dhaka learned of Hasina's live press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia in New Delhi. The Indian government denied any role in organizing this interaction and stated it did not endorse Hasina's statements.

Despite this, Hasina's appearance on August 5, the day of a memorial for the July-August 2024 protesters, was seen as highly damaging. Rahman conveyed to Indian officials that Hasina's extradition is a core issue for his government, and Dhaka is awaiting a clear response from India regarding next steps for her extradition before allowing Rahman's visit.

India maintains that Hasina is a political fugitive and an asylum seeker, not connected to extremist elements that may pose a security threat.