DGFI chief’s visit to Delhi: Hint of thaw in Bangladesh–India ties

Within weeks of the formation of the government in Bangladesh under the leadership of Tarique Rahman, the chief of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), Major General Mohammad Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury, travelled to India earlier this month.

During the visit, he held meetings with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as well as several senior military and civilian intelligence officials.

Indian newspapers view the visit as a sign of a possible thaw in the diplomatic frost that has characterised relations between the two neighbouring countries for the past two and a half years.

India’s online news portal The Print headlined its report: “A hush-hush visit last week lays groundwork for thaw in Delhi-Dhaka ties.” Meanwhile, Hindustan Times carried a report under the heading: “Top Bangladesh security official visits India for meetings.”

Both news reports suggest that the trip signals a potential normalisation of relations between the two countries.

Relations between Bangladesh and India took a sharp downturn after Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power during a student-led mass uprising in August 2024 and subsequently fled to India.

Many young leaders of the uprising expressed anger towards India for giving her refuge. Tensions continued to escalate even after the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus assumed the office.

A combination of trade restrictions, suspension of visas and diplomatic protests pushed bilateral relations to one of their coldest points in recent history.

Following the general election on 12 February, however, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) returned to power. Since the formation of the new government in Dhaka, the administration of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has signalled its willingness to move relations forward, a gesture that has also received a positive response from Bangladesh.

It was against this backdrop that the DGFI chief visited Delhi. During the trip, Major General Kaiser Rashid Chowdhury also met Parag Jain, chief of India’s intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), and Lieutenant General RS Raman, director general of India’s military intelligence, among others.

Citing individuals familiar with the meetings, The Print reported that the DGFI chief and the two senior Indian intelligence officials reached an understanding to ensure that no individual or group would be allowed to use the territory of either country to undertake activities harmful to the other’s interests. They also discussed the possibility of reactivating communication channels that had remained largely dormant for more than two years.

Several channels of communication between India and Bangladesh had effectively stalled after the fall of the Hasina government, which had ruled for more than a decade and a half. Until Tarique Rahman assumed office, contacts between the two countries had largely been maintained through the offices of the national security advisers.

Bangladesh’s former national security adviser Khalilur Rahman now serves as foreign minister in Tarique Rahman’s cabinet. During the interim government’s tenure, he and India’s national security adviser Ajit Doval had maintained communication between the two sides.

According to The Print, although the DGFI chief’s trip was officially described as a “medical visit”, it carried significance in light of New Delhi’s security concerns regarding developments in Bangladesh. India fears that escalating violence in Bangladesh could affect peace and stability in its north-eastern states.

New Delhi has for several months been signalling its interest in working with the BNP under Tarique Rahman and in restoring normal relations.

After the death of BNP chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar to Dhaka. During a visit in December, Jaishankar met Tarique Rahman and held a discussion lasting nearly half an hour. He also handed over a condolence message from New Delhi to Tarique Rahman.

Jaishankar’s brief trip to Dhaka was limited to that meeting and did not include talks with the interim government’s chief adviser.

Later, in February, Om Birla, Speaker of India’s Lok Sabha, and foreign secretary Vikram Misri attended Tarique Rahman’s swearing-in ceremony.

The move was seen as another signal of India’s willingness to normalise relations that had become strained during the interim administration of Professor Muhammad Yunus.

According to The Print, however, several challenges still remain in Bangladesh–India relations, including Dhaka’s internal political situation. India continues to provide shelter to Sheikh Hasina, who has been sentenced to death in Bangladesh for crimes against humanity. There have been calls in Bangladesh for her extradition.

Nevertheless, BNP secretary general and local government minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Hindu that Bangladesh–India relations would not be “held hostage” over the issue of Sheikh Hasina.

Several bilateral agreements remain important for both countries. Among them is the 1996 India–Bangladesh Ganges water-sharing treaty, which is due to expire in December this year. In addition, economic restrictions imposed by both sides over the past two years remain in place.

In this context, India announced on Sunday the arrest of Faisal Karim Masud and Alamgir Hossain, the principal accused in the killing of Inquilab Moncho leader Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi. The two suspects were detained by the West Bengal Special Task Force.

Following the killing of Osman Hadi, convener of the Inquilab Moncho, in December last year, protests erupted in Bangladesh, with India also becoming a focus of public anger.

On 17 December, demonstrators under the banner of “July Oikya (unity)” marched towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka demanding the arrest and extradition of the prime suspect.

The arrest of the main accused in India is now also being viewed as a sign of a possible new beginning in relations between the two countries. Bangladesh is expected to pursue diplomatic efforts with India to secure the return of the suspects.