Hasina press conference stalls Rahman's first India visit
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Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's first visit to India has been put on hold after Dhaka said an August 5 press conference by exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 'vitiated' the atmosphere. India had invited Rahman for a standalone visit this month ahead of the BRICS summit. Both capitals remain tight-lipped on a new date.
Key Facts
- Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said a 'propitious environment needs to be created' for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to India.
- India had extended an invitation to Rahman for a standalone visit this month, ahead of next month's BRICS summit chaired by India.
- Sheikh Hasina, who lives in exile in India, addressed a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in New Delhi on August 5.
- Indian envoy Dinesh Trivedi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted Rahman's visit to be 'memorable'.
Visit Derailed
New Delhi had extended an invitation to Rahman for a stand-alone visit to India this month, ahead of next month's scheduled BRICS summit. Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry said officials from both countries have been engaged in talks for 'several weeks' to work out a possible solution. Dhaka says that the August 5 press conference by Hasina has 'vitiated' the atmosphere, adding that 'a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit'. India clarified that it had nothing to do with the event, but to no avail.
Diplomatic Reactions
India's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 'I have nothing to say right now' when asked about Rahman's visit. Speaking at an event on Saturday, India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said India and Bangladesh's bilateral ties must meet the 'test of mutual interest'. Indian envoy Dinesh Trivedi appealed to Rahman's government, arguing that the Indian mission is not asking Dhaka 'to forget the past'. Trivedi said at a reception hosted by the Indian High Commission in Dhaka that Modi wanted Rahman's visit to be 'memorable'.
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Hasina press conference stalls Rahman's first India visit
