Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit India and conveyed his best wishes to the newly-minted Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader.
The invitation was extended to Rahman through a letter handed over by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who called on Rahman in Dhaka after he took over as prime minister on Tuesday, officials said, according to news agency PTI.
Read also | Tarique Rahman sworn in as Prime Minister of Bangladesh after BNP’s landslide victory
After attending the swearing-in ceremony in Dhaka, Birla said India is ready to support Bangladesh’s efforts to build a democratic, progressive and inclusive nation.
“I am happy to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new Bangladesh government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka today. India stands ready to support Bangladesh’s efforts to build a democratic, progressive and inclusive nation,” Birla wrote on X.
The development represents a significant moment India-Bangladesh relations under new political leadership in Dhaka, rather because relations between Delhi and Dhaka soured soon after the Hasina-led ouster Awami League regime on 5 August 2024 and subsequent violence against minorities, especially the Hindu community.
In a post on X, Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah said: “Prime Minister Tarique Rahman conveys his greetings to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in a courtesy call after the swearing in of the new government.
“Chairman Birla extended his best wishes and invitation to India. The two leaders expressed optimism to work together for the welfare of the people of Bangladesh and India and sought a people-centric offering of cooperation.”
Birla also met Maldives President Mohamed Muizza, Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and other leaders on the sidelines of the event.
Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) swept to power with a two-thirds majority, winning 49.97% of the vote and 209 seats in polls held on 12 February, with results announced on 13 February.
Jamaat-e-Islami, which opposed Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971, recorded its best ever performance by securing 31.76% of the votes and 68 seats.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) won the third highest number of seats, 6 and 3.05% of the vote.
Relaxing in India-Bangladesh ties?
Modi’s invitation to Rahman is an opportunity to stop the deterioration of India-Bangladesh relations and start anew, experts said earlier LiveMint.
“India and Bangladesh have taken small steps towards normalizing their relations. It started with S Jaishankar’s visit to Dhaka for Khaleda Zia’s funeral with a letter from PM Modi about a ‘new beginning,'” Praveen Donthi, senior analyst, International Crisis Grouphe said LiveMint on January 16.
The outgoing caretaker government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was seen in India as less connected to New Delhi’s strategic interests. Delhi has not engaged with Dhaka over the past 18 months, mainly because India views the Yunus government as an unelected government, political analysts said.
Read also | Tarique Rahman will be sworn in as Bangladesh’s new prime minister today – what we know so far
“The visit of Speaker Om Birla, preceded by a call between Prime Minister Modi and President-elect Tariq Rahman, signals the same intent from both sides,” Donthi said.
Bangladesh invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the ceremony, but he could not attend as he was scheduled to meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on Tuesday.
After reaching Dhaka, Birla said the swearing-in of Rahman is an important moment that will strengthen people-to-people relations and shared democratic values between the two neighbours.
Read also | Is a reset in India and Bangladesh on the cards?
“It is an honor to be in Dhaka to represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of the new government led by Tariq Rahman as Prime Minister. It is an important moment that will strengthen people-to-people ties and shared democratic values between our two nations,” Birla said.
It is an honor to be in Dhaka to represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of the new government led by Tariq Rahman as Prime Minister. It is an important moment that will strengthen people-to-people ties and shared democratic values between our two nations.
Birla was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other officials.