Dhaka awaits Delhi’s response on creating propitious environment

Discussions between Dhaka and Delhi over a possible visit to India by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman are continuing. Dhaka is awaiting a clear response from Delhi on Bangladesh’s position regarding the creation of a ‘propitious environment’ for the visit, including the extradition of Sheikh Hasina.

Bangladesh will decide its next course of action after receiving the response. Diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Delhi said this to Prothom Alo on Monday.

Meanwhile, a government source told this correspondent on Monday night that Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi wants to meet Prime Minister’s Defence Adviser Brigadier General (retd) AKM Shamsul Islam for discussions. The Indian High Commission requested the Foreign Ministry on Monday afternoon to arrange the meeting.

Government sources said Dhaka wants to know India’s clear position on Sheikh Hasina. At present, mutual trust is the most crucial requirement for arranging the prime minister’s visit and moving relations between the two countries in a positive direction. And Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in Delhi, lies at the centre of the crisis of trust between the two neighbours.

Bangladeshi diplomats believe that if India clarifies its position on Sheikh Hasina, the crisis of trust between the two countries could be eased considerably. Bangladesh has made it clear through various official communications over the past two weeks that Sheikh Hasina’s public interaction with journalists in Delhi on 5 August has created a new obstacle to restoring trust in Dhaka-Delhi relations.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibli said Bangladesh was awaiting India’s response to what the Foreign Ministry had said regarding the prime minister’s visit. Discussions on the matter would follow after receiving India’s response.

When asked by Channel 24 whether the prime minister was going to India, Saleh Shibli said, “We have not said that the prime minister is not going. The foreign ministry has given an explanation regarding the prime minister’s visit to India. We have said that the prime minister raised two issues.”

“The Indian high commissioner came to meet the prime minister. The prime minister clearly said that Bangladesh wants the extradition of the person who fled the country after killing thousands of people. What progress has been made in that regard? The other issue is that, during a particular period after the movement and before the election, a person accused of involvement in the murder of Shaheed Osman Hadi was arrested in India. Bangladesh wants his extradition,” he added.

Noting that how soon the prime minister’s visit could take place or when it would take place, depend on these issues, the prime minister’s press secretary said, “We are not saying that we will not go. We are waiting for this response. Once we receive the response, there will be discussions. Discussions are already under way.”

Meanwhile, diplomatic sources in Delhi said India had invited the Bangladesh prime minister for a bilateral visit. India is now awaiting Bangladesh’s response.

When asked whether the visit would take place this month, the source indicated that Bangladesh’s consent to the visit is the key issue here. If Bangladesh agrees, organising the visit this month would be difficult given the limited time, but it would not be entirely impossible.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman travelled to Qatar early Monday on a three-day visit to discuss energy cooperation. During the visit, he will hold talks with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani. He is scheduled to meet several members of the country’s Cabinet as well.

The foreign minister is accompanied to Doha by Prime Minister’s Economic Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir; State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit; Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir; and Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Investment Tanvir Shahriar Gani, among others.