India-bangladesh Ties

Indian, US firms eye investment in Bangladesh, propose land port upgrades

Businesses from India and the US have expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh and made proposals to improve the country's investment climate, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has said. Muktadir's remarks on Saturday came after attending a meeting at the Sylhet Metropolitan Police headquarters. He also said that some Indian businesspeople who recently visited Bangladesh have already invested in the country, the state-run BSS news agency reported. The commerce minister's remarks came days after a 14-member Confederation of Indian Industry delegation visited Bangladesh from August 17 to 19 to explore opportunities for expanding bilateral trade, investment and industrial cooperation. He said that Indian businesspeople have expressed interest in making the land ports between Bangladesh and India fully operational. "They have said that the closure or limited operation of land ports increases the cost of raw materials for Indian businesses," he said. Indian business ...

Bangladesh may join Saudi-Pakistan-Turkiye pact if national interests align

Bangladesh is open to joining the recently formed defence alliance between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, two junior ministers have said, while stressing that any decision would be guided by the country's national interests. Signed in Makkah on August 7, the pact establishes a framework for collective deterrence and stipulates that an armed attack on any one of the three countries would be considered an attack on all three. "Bangladesh maintains a positive approach towards the possibility of joining an economic or defence framework involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, taking into account its own interests and the changing dynamics of the global economy and trade," newly appointed state minister for foreign affairs Humayun Kobir said. In an interview with the Bangla service of state-run BSS on Friday, Kobir said the government was pursuing a "Bangladesh First" policy and a balanced foreign policy with national interests at its core, which might lead Dhaka to join the ..

No decision yet on PM Tarique Rahman's visit to India: B'desh govt official

The South Asian neighbours have been in talks ‌for weeks regarding Rahman's first trip to ​New Delhi since taking ​office in February

Indian envoy discusses issues of mutual interest with B'desh Finance min

Indian envoy Dinesh Trivedi met Bangladesh Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and discussed bilateral development projects and issues of mutual interest. The meeting comes amid uncertainty surrounding Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India for next month's BRICS Summit following fresh strains in bilateral ties over Dhaka's demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. "High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Finance and Planning of Bangladesh, H. E. Mr. Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and held discussions on mutual interest on economic cooperation and bilateral development projects between India and Bangladesh," the High Commission of India in Bangladesh posted on X on Thursday. Trivedi also gifted Chowdhury a copy of 'Arthashastra' by Kautilya. "Arthashastra says, 'Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere'," the Indian mission quoted from the book. Earlier, Trivedi also met the

Indian envoy discusses issues of mutual interest with B'desh Finance min

Indian envoy Dinesh Trivedi met Bangladesh Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and discussed bilateral development projects and issues of mutual interest. The visit comes amid uncertainty surrounding Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India next month for the BRICS Summit following fresh strains in bilateral ties over Dhaka's demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. "High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Finance and Planning of Bangladesh, H. E. Mr. Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, and held discussions on mutual interest on economic cooperation and bilateral development projects between India and Bangladesh," the High Commission of India in Bangladesh posted on X on Thursday. Trivedi also gifted Chowdhury a copy of 'Arthashastra' by Kautilya. "Arthashastra says, 'Education is the best friend. An educated person is respected everywhere'," the Indian mission quoted from the book. Earlier, Trivedi also met the

India visit unlikely without mutual trust, says adviser to B'desh PM

The possibility of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India next month for BRICS Summit "remains slim" unless an appropriate environment based on "mutual trust" is created, along with a "dignified invitation" from New Delhi, his Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir has said. He said Dhaka is in no hurry to arrange a top-level visit without clearly defined national interests. "There is no justification for rushing into a top-level visit by going beyond the national interest," Kobir told state-run BSS news agency in an interview published on Thursday. The interview was held on August 17. The comments came amid uncertainties over Rahman's visit to New Delhi for the BRICS summit on September 12-13 amid fresh strains in bilateral ties over Dhaka's demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina. "The possibility of the Prime Minister visiting India ahead of the upcoming BRICS Summit remains slim unless an appropriate environment is created based on .

Bangladesh seeks faster business visas, balanced economic ties with India

Bangladesh has called for faster issuance of business visas for its nationals travelling to India and urged greater ease of doing business as it seeks to build an economic partnership with New Delhi that is "equally beneficial". State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Bangladesh want businesses and private sectors of the two countries to "communicate more frequently", Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported on Wednesday. "Business visas for Bangladeshis should be issued more quickly so that businesspeople can travel to India more frequently," she said at a reception here on Tuesday night. The minister also stressed on the need to address "non-tariff barriers, standards and testing-related difficulties, procedural delays, and infrastructure constraints that affect the smooth movement of goods and services". Islam said Bangladesh wanted "more vibrant trade, investment and communication" between the two countries and that greater predictability and ease of doing business .

Bangladesh seeks guarantee clause in renewed Ganges water treaty with India

Bangladesh will seek a "guarantee clause" in the renewed Ganges Water Treaty with India and is ready to approach international forums to protect its water rights, according to media reports. Water Resources Minister Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anee made the remarks on Tuesday at a seminar titled "Ganges Water Treaty: Issues for Renegotiation" organised by the Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs in Dhaka, the state-owned BSS news agency reported. The remarks came as the India-Bangladesh Ganges Water Treaty, signed in 1996 to govern dry-season sharing of the river's waters, is due to expire in December. Water-sharing has remained a key issue in bilateral ties between New Delhi and Dhaka, with Bangladesh pushing for a renewed pact and India maintaining that bilateral discussions on renewal had not yet begun. Anee on Tuesday said Dhaka remained committed to renegotiating the treaty and hoped that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would make a strong case for Bangladesh at the .

Datanomics: State of Delhi-Dhaka economic ties after Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh's economic engagement shifted towards China, the US and the Netherlands after Hasina's exit, while trade and investment ties with India weakened

Bangladesh seeks India's stand on Sheikh Hasina's planned media appearance

Bangladesh has sought clarification from India over its position on deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina's planned press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday, coinciding with the second anniversary of her government's ouster, a minister here said on Monday. Addressing a media briefing, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam also said that Hasina's public political activities from Indian territory could have a negative impact on bilateral relations between the two countries. According to some media reports, Hasina, 78, is expected to join a private event hosted by the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia (FCC South Asia) virtually on August 5 in New Delhi. Hasina's US-based son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, and Bangladesh Human Rights Watch general secretary Mahammad Ali Siddique are among those who would join the event. "Bangladesh wants India to make its position clear on the matter," Shama said, adding that Dhaka do

Bangladesh 'reviewing' PM Modi's invitation to PM Rahman for India visit

Bangladesh is "reviewing" Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to his counterpart Tarique Rahman to visit India, a senior minister said here on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman made the comments when asked about India's invitation to PM Tarique Rahman to attend the upcoming 18th BRICS Summit in Delhi. "We are currently reviewing it (invitation)," Rahman told reporters after High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi paid a courtesy call on him five weeks after his arrival as the Indian envoy here. In a post on X, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said the envoy "reaffirmed India's commitment to a positive, constructive and forward-looking partnership with Bangladesh, rooted in mutual interest and mutual benefit, and to deepening people-centric cooperation across all sectors." He also met State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam for a wide-ranging exchange on strengthening bilateral ties, it added. Rahman said the premier has received several invitations for ...

Brics 2026: Bangladesh invited as India hosts key ministerial meetings

India's invitation to Bangladesh marks a key diplomatic development ahead of the Brics Summit, with ministerial meetings helping shape the bloc's agenda

India elevates Bangladesh envoy Dinesh Trivedi to Cabinet-rank status

The Centre granted High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi status equivalent to a Union Cabinet minister, signalling the importance it attaches to ties with Bangladesh

Bangladesh calls India's explanation over airport incident 'unsatisfactory'

Bangladesh on Tuesday termed as "unsatisfactory" New Delhi's explanation involving the hassle of an adviser to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at Indira Gandhi International Airport. "The explanation provided by the Indian side over the incident was not satisfactory," the state-run BSS news agency reported, quoting a foreign ministry spokesperson. He said the incident involving Prime Minister's Adviser for Information and Strategy Zahed Ur Rahman was "unfortunate and regrettable". According to the official, Indian authorities were informed beforehand in due process through diplomatic channels that the premier's adviser would lead the Bangladesh delegation at a meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA). BSS reported that Rahman was scheduled to lead the Bangladesh delegation before being prevented from proceeding through Delhi airport earlier this month. Dhaka's reaction came a day after the External Affairs Ministry said Rahman was permitted entry into India after reconfirm

Datanomics: Bangladesh may surpass India in per capita income in FY27

IMF data show Bangladesh may briefly regain its per capita income lead over India, but currency swings and growth trends point to India holding the edge ahead

Jaishankar to host Bangladesh FM for talks on bilateral ties in Delhi

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will host his Bangladeshi counterpart Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday for wide-ranging talks in a significant initiative to repair the bilateral ties following an over 18-month period of heightened diplomatic tension. Rahman's three-day trip to New Delhi from Tuesday is the first high-level visit by a senior member of the new Bangladesh Nationalist Party government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The relations between India and Bangladesh witnessed major downturn after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus came to power following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government in August, 2024. The two sides initiated efforts to stabilise the relations after Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, represented India at the inauguration of Tarique Rahman as the prime minister in Dhaka on February 17. Tarique Rahman became the prime minister following his party's landslide victory in the parliamentary .

Why Bangladesh PM Rahman's post on 1971 genocide puts revisionism to rest

Tarique Rahman's Genocide Day post names Pakistan's role, signalling a shift in Bangladesh's narrative amid Yunus-era revisionism and evolving ties with Islamabad

Datanomics: Bangladesh at 55 - stagnation, inflation, and other issues

As Bangladesh marks its 56th Independence Day, slowing growth, rising inflation and a widening trade deficit underscore mounting economic challenges

3,100 attacks against minorities in Bangladesh since Aug 2024: Centre

About 3,100 incidents of violence against Hindus and other minorities took place in Bangladesh from August 2024 till February 2026, according to data from human rights organisations, the government has informed Parliament. In a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita also said the government of India continuously monitors incidents of attacks against minorities in Bangladesh, including on their homes, properties, businesses and places of worship. "As per available data from human rights organisations, about 3,100 incidents of violence against Hindu and other minorities have taken place across Bangladesh from August 2024 till February 2026," he said. India has consistently raised the matter of safety and security of the minorities with the authorities in Bangladesh at all relevant occasions, including at the highest level. The issue has also been discussed with foreign interlocutors. "It is the expectation

India examining requests from neighbours for energy supplies: MEA

Government says requests from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives for oil supplies are under review, with decisions to factor in India's refining capacity and domestic demand