Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s India visit, sought by both Dhaka and New Delhi, hinges on India’s assurance that ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina will not be allowed to engage in activities from its territory that could create instability in Bangladesh, diplomatic sources said.
According to diplomatic sources, Tarique is willing to visit India and hold a bilateral meeting at the earliest. This could be a standalone bilateral meeting or one held on the sidelines of the BRICS summit.
“Whether Tarique Rahman visits India or not is now largely depending on how India responds to the issue of Hasina,” said a diplomatic source in Dhaka.
While speaking to the media at the foreign ministry, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed yesterday made a similar observation.
“I am always positive. Yes, the possibility is always there,” she said, responding to a question about the prime minister’s possible visit to India.
She said talks between the two heads of government could help resolve many issues and India would be wise to make good use of the opportunity.
Referring to the August 5 press event in New Delhi by Hasina, Shama Obaed said her presence has been an obstacle in mending Dhaka-Delhi ties.
“We have already stated that when a convicted criminal speaks from Indian soil, the people of Bangladesh do not take that well. The events of July are still fresh in people's minds… We hope India keeps that in mind,” she said.
India has sent two invitations to the prime minister. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited his Bangladeshi counterpart soon after the BNP assumed office in February. In early July, India invited him to attend the BRICS summit as a special guest on September 12-13.
The August 5 media event in New Delhi by Hasina, a convict for crimes against humanity, went ahead despite Bangladesh’s objections, prompting Dhaka to issue a strong rebuke.
On Monday, Foreign Minister Khaililur Rahman said the government has not yet decided whether the prime minister will attend the BRICS summit. His comments came after Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi paid a courtesy call on Tarique at the Secretariat.
He said the BIMSTEC invitation was not extended to the prime minister personally. It was addressed to the chairperson of BIMSTEC, currently held by the head of the Bangladesh government.
He also called on India to build a conducive environment to advance bilateral ties.
According to analysts, the uncertainty about the PM's visit to attend the BRICS summit is more about the Hasina issue than how the invitation was extended.
“Creating a conducive environment means that Hasina should not be allowed to make political statements in New Delhi and be extradited to Bangladesh for trial,” said Prof M Tawfique Haque, director of the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance.
Analysts say Trivedi’s one-on-one meeting with Modi in New Delhi on August 11, a day after meeting with Tarique in Dhaka, is significant.
“It could be to convey the message of Dhaka directly to the Indian prime minister,” said Prof Sreeradha Datta of International Affairs at the OP Jindal Global University.
While Dhaka may seek a guarantee that Hasina is not allowed to make any statement from India, New Delhi may also seek a guarantee that if extradited, Hasina is allowed a fair trial and treated properly, she said.
Analysts say the two sides must reach an understanding on the Hasina issue, as a single issue should not hamper bilateral relations.
“The stakes are very high. While there are problems surrounding Hasina and other issues, the political leadership of the two countries must engage. Therefore, Tarique Rahman’s visit to India is important,” Sreeradha Datta said.
Prof Tawfique also agrees.
However, he thinks that PM Tarique may not attend the BRICS summit, but will make a bilateral visit.
“There are no alternatives to political-level engagement. For solving any issues, there must be talks between the two sides,” he told The Daily Star.
