Dates for Bangladesh PM visit are not yet finalised

India and Bangladesh are yet to finalize dates for a potential visit to New Delhi by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, according to sources familiar with the situation. This is due to a busy diplomatic calendar on the Indian side, which has left little room for a trip. The Bangladeshi side declined an invitation to attend the recent Brics Summit in New Delhi, indicating ongoing tensions in bilateral relations.

Rahman had been invited for both a bilateral visit and the Brics Summit in his role as the current Brics chair. Since then, there have been no significant discussions about arranging dates for the bilateral visit. The Bangladeshi side's insistence on conditions for the visit, such as the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the creation of a conducive environment, have not been well-received in New Delhi.

There is no finality or clarity on dates for a visit at this point, with the Indian side citing a busy schedule as a factor. Prime Minister Rahman is unlikely to proceed with a visit without his Bangladeshi counterpart Khalilur Rahman, who is expected to be in New York until mid-October as the President of the UN General Assembly.

The Indian side will be occupied with visits from Swiss President Guy Parmelin and Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk in October, while PM Narendra Modi is set to attend the Asean Summit in the Philippines from November 16-18. December is also a busy month for the Indian PM, with expected visits to the US, Canada, and Belgium.