India and Bangladesh are yet to finalise dates for a possible visit to New Delhi by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, people familiar with the matter said against the backdrop of a busy diplomatic calendar on the Indian side that has left a very narrow window for a trip.
The Bangladeshi side opted not to take up India’s invitation to attend the recent Brics Summit in New Delhi, reflecting the continuing strains in bilateral relations. Rahman had been extended invitations for both a bilateral visit and for the Brics Summit in his capacity as the current chair of the Brics grouping.
There have been no substantial engagements since then on arranging dates for the bilateral visit, the people said on condition of anonymity. The Bangladesh side’s decision to attach conditions to the visit — including the extradition of former premier Sheikh Hasina and the creation of a “propitious environment” for the trip — also have not gone down well in New Delhi. ”There is an invitation for a bilateral visit and it is for the Bangladesh side to take a call,” one person said. “As of now, there is no finality or clarity on dates for a visit.”
A busy diplomatic schedule for the Indian side and the absence of Bangladesh foreign minister Khalilur Rahman from Dhaka — he is expected to be in New York till mid-October in his capacity as the President of the UN General Assembly — are other factors that will influence the scheduling of a visit. In October, the Indian side will be busy with incoming visits by Swiss President Guy Parmelin and Poland Prime Minister Donald Tusk, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to the Philippines to attend the Asean Summit during November 16-18.
The Bangladesh PM is unlikely to go ahead with an important visit such as the one to New Delhi without Khalilur Rahman, the people said. When external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked at a recent media briefing about a possible visit by the Bangladesh PM, the conditions set by Dhaka for such a trip and bilateral ties getting back on track, he replied that India desires a “positive, constructive and forward-looking relationship with Bangladesh”. A range of key issues remain to be addressed by the two sides, including the easing of restrictions on trade through land borders, access to key land and sea ports for transit of goods and the renewal of the Ganga Waters Treaty that is set to expire in December, the people said.
