‘Golden chapter’ should begin in Bangladesh-India ties, says Indian envoy

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has said people in both Bangladesh and India want a “golden chapter” to begin in relations between the two countries.

Trivedi made the remarks while responding to questions from journalists at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Wednesday morning after paying a courtesy call on Liberation War Affairs Minister Ahmed Azam Khan. His comments come amid ongoing discussions between Dhaka and New Delhi over Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed bilateral visit to India.

Asked how optimistic he was about improving Bangladesh-India relations after holding meetings with ministers and senior government officials, Trivedi said he was “100 percent optimistic.”

“Hope is essential to life. I am absolutely optimistic, I mean 100 percent optimistic,” he said.

“People believe that a golden chapter should begin in the relationship between the two countries,” he added.

Asked about a possible date for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India, Trivedi said no specific month or date had been discussed yet.

He said the visit would take place but there was no need to rush it.

“It is certain that this visit will happen. There is no benefit for anyone in rushing. Rather, we need to ensure that the preparations are proper,” Trivedi said, adding that the two sides would need to discuss several issues, including trade, commerce and water.

The Indian envoy also spoke positively about Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, saying he had met him and described him as “a wonderful person.”

Trivedi said the two leaders were “on the same page” regarding engagement between the two countries.

India has extended two separate invitations to Rahman—one for a bilateral visit and another for a multilateral engagement in his capacity as chair of BIMSTEC. Bangladesh did not attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi, with Dhaka maintaining that Rahman had been invited in his capacity as BIMSTEC chair rather than as Bangladesh’s prime minister. India has also kept its separate bilateral invitation open.

Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has said Dhaka wants to “reset” relations with India and build a new bilateral partnership through direct engagement between the two neighbours rather than through a multilateral forum.