Bangladesh Seeks Fresh India Ties, Calls for Direct Bilateral Dialogue

By Thetripurapost Desk, Dhaka
Sep 14, 2026
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Bangladesh has called for a fresh start in its relationship with india with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir stressing the need for balanced ties, mutual interests and direct bilateral engagement between Dhaka and New Delhi.

Kabir said Bangladesh wants to move towards a new phase in India-Bangladesh relations, acknowledging that ties between the two neighbouring countries had become strained during the tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh Wants New Chapter With India

According to Kabir, Dhaka now wants to establish a relationship with New Delhi based primarily on mutual interests rather than giving disproportionate importance to India within Bangladesh's foreign policy.

He said Bangladesh should assess its relationship with India in a balanced way while simultaneously maintaining constructive ties with other countries.

Kabir also emphasised that sensitive bilateral matters should be addressed through direct dialogue between Bangladesh and India. He indicated that such discussions should take place bilaterally instead of being handled through multilateral organisations or forums.

India-Bangladesh Relations Face Diplomatic Challenges

The latest comments come amid several unresolved issues between Dhaka and New Delhi.

One of the major points of friction has been Bangladesh's request concerning the extradition of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who remains in India following the political upheaval in Bangladesh.

The issue has added pressure to an already complicated relationship between the two countries.

Sheikh Hasina's Virtual Press Conference Raises Tensions

Tensions increased further after Sheikh Hasina addressed a virtual press conference from Delhi on August 5.

During the online interaction, held around the second anniversary of the ouster of the Awami League government, Hasina responded to questions from journalists and discussed developments in Bangladeshi politics.

The Bangladesh government strongly objected to the event, arguing that political activities and public statements by Hasina from India could make efforts to normalise bilateral relations more difficult.

Dhaka said it had previously conveyed its concerns to New Delhi but claimed that the virtual programme was allowed to go ahead.

India, however, maintained that the event was organised by a private media organisation and that the Indian government had no involvement in arranging it.

BRICS Summit and Tariq Rahman's India Visit

The latest diplomatic discussion also followed the BRICS summit in India.

Bangladesh had said that Prime Minister Tariq Rahman would not attend the summit because he had not been invited in his personal capacity.

Dhaka said the invitation was linked to his position as chair of BIMSTEC, the regional grouping comprising seven countries around the Bay of Bengal.

India had separately proposed a bilateral meeting with Tariq Rahman before the BRICS summit. His India visit had been scheduled for August 22, but the programme was postponed before the proposed trip took place.

Dhaka Signals Shift in Foreign Policy Approach

Humayun Kabir's remarks indicate that Bangladesh is seeking a more measured approach to its engagement with India.

Rather than placing India at the centre of its foreign policy calculations, Dhaka appears to be advocating a broader strategy based on national interests, reciprocity and bilateral communication.

The comments come at a sensitive moment for Bangladesh-India relations, with both countries facing several diplomatic issues that could shape their engagement in the coming months.

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