Amid Sheikh Hasina extradition row, Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman’s India visit likely next week

New Delhi, India faced a moment of confusion on Friday when the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the official residence and workplace of the President of India, announced a cancellation of the scheduled Change of Guard ceremony on Saturday. The decision was made due to the full rehearsal for the ceremonial welcome of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. However, just an hour later, the announcement was withdrawn, leading to speculation over the visit.

The Ministry of External Affairs, typically responsible for announcing such visits, stated it had "nothing to say right now" regarding Rahman's arrival. Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, did not confirm a date for the start of the visit. The sudden cancellation and subsequent withdrawal added to the uncertainty surrounding the Prime Minister's trip.

Despite the setback, ties between India and Bangladesh had been improving since Tarique Rahman took charge of the Bangladeshi government in February. However, the visit's prospects were overshadowed by the public interaction between former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian President Droupadi Murmu via an audio link on August 5. This interaction was seen as a breach as Hasina had sought refuge in India after her ouster in August 2024, and her public statements in New Delhi were met with anger in Dhaka.

Dhaka has been actively seeking Hasina's extradition to Bangladesh, where she faces a death sentence, to clear her name. The visit's scheduling was also dependent on a "propitious environment," meaning the resolution of the Hasina extradition issue. India had proposed August 21 as a potential date for a bilateral visit, expanding the window to August 25. However, no final decisions had been made.

The extradition request for Hasina and other fugitive criminals was initially made by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus in 2024 and has been reiterated by the current BNP government. In response, India has stated that the extradition request is "being examined" while emphasizing the importance of maintaining a forward-looking relationship based on mutual interests and reciprocity.

Both nations recognize the importance of a strong relationship, discussing topics such as connectivity, energy, water sharing, infrastructure, border management, and people-to-people contacts.

Delhi had initially invited Rahman for a stand-alone bilateral visit, but now also extended an invitation to the Bangladesh Prime Minister to participate in the upcoming BRICS leaders’ summit. With the BNP's longest-serving secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, recently elected as the President of Bangladesh, there is a possibility that Fakhrul may attend the summit if Rahman is unable to do so.