Shafaqna Pakistan: India on Monday appointed veteran politician Dinesh Trivedi as its next high commissioner to Bangladesh, marking a rare move to select someone from outside the foreign service as New Delhi looks to repair relations with its neighbour.
Bilateral ties deteriorated after a mass uprising in Bangladesh in 2024 led to the departure of long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who subsequently travelled to New Delhi and has remained there since.
Trivedi’s appointment signals India’s intent to rebuild confidence with Dhaka at a time when it is also facing growing competition from China for regional influence and economic engagement.
The 75-year-old, who has previously served as railways and health minister, joined Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2021 after leaving a regional party in West Bengal. The state, which shares a border with Bangladesh, plays a significant role in bilateral relations and is also politically important for the BJP as it seeks to expand its presence in ongoing local elections.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement that Trivedi is expected to assume his new role shortly.
Relations between the two countries began improving only after an election in February brought Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party to power, replacing an interim government that had veered strongly towards China.
Bangladesh’s foreign minister visited Delhi this month seeking increased fuel and fertiliser supplies, closer energy cooperation and eased travel restrictions, but one of the biggest sticking points remains India’s refusal so far to extradite Hasina.
Source: Dawn News
