United News of Bangladesh

Indian Ministry of External Affairs Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday said India will take all necessary actions to protect its interests over Bangladesh’s review of 101 agreements signed with India under the Awami League administration. “We have also seen some media reports on this matter, but nothing has been conveyed to us officially. Obviously, India will take all necessary actions to protect its interests,” he said while responding to a question about Bangladesh’s review of the agreements. On September 11 last, Chief Whip of Bangladesh Parliament Nurul Islam Moni said the government was reviewing 101 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) and agreements signed with India during the ousted Awami League government of Sheikh Hasina. “We are reviewing the agreements that mean 101 MoUs and you will get its (review) result soon,” he said, replying to a question from reporters at a press briefing at the Media Centre of the Jatiya Sangsad, a day after the prorogation of the third session of the 13th Parliament. Moni said the government wants to maintain friendly relations with neighbouring India while giving the highest priority to Bangladesh’s national interests first. Referring to arrangements involving Chattogram Port, Moni said the Awami League government had made agreements under which vessels belonging to a friendly country could allegedly receive preferential treatment over Bangladeshi vessels in case of unloading the vessels when both arrived at the port. “They (AL government) signed 101 MoUs. You can write it down and take a note of it that the figure is 101 MoUs,” he said.  Referring to a road constructed with a loan taken from them (India), the Chief Whip said Bangladesh was required to repay the loan with interest, though the vehicles of Bangladesh could not use the road. “Such agreement was made and it remains implemented. We are trying to come out of such situations,” he said.

Meherpur district Awami League (activities banned) leader M A Khalek was arrested at Darshana-Jaynagar checkpost in Chuadanga on Thursday while allegedly attempting to travel to India despite facing a case and an arrest warrant. Khalek, general secretary of district Awami League, was arrested around 12pm after immigration police became suspicious and verified his passport and visa details, according to sources at the Darshana immigration police. According to Darshana immigration police sources, Khalek is accused in a case filed with Gangni Police Station dated April 13, 2025. The case was filed under Sections 15(3)/25D of the Special Powers Act, 1974. Earlier, Khalek was made the prime accused in a case filed over an alleged attack on students during July movement in 2024. RAB arrested him from his home in Gangni upazila town on October 24, 2025, in connection with that case. He was later released on bail from the High Court and had remained in hiding. Darshana immigration police Inspector-in-Charge SI Tuhin Mia said Khalek has been handed over to Gangni Police Station in Meherpur.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir on Sunday said Bangladesh wants to “reset” its bilateral relationship with India after what he described as an uncomfortable relationship over 15 years under an “authoritarian, corrupt and exploitative” regime. “We want to move towards a new relationship, which should be done through bilateral discussions, not through a multilateral forum,” Kobir said while responding to a question at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Responding to a question, he said, “Breakfast in India, lunch in India, dinner in India - then when will you eat your own food?” “We have to get out of the India fascination. India is just another country, and Bangladesh wants good bilateral relations with it,” Kobir said. He said his earlier remarks specifically referred to India and the need to rebuild bilateral relations through direct bilateral engagement. “What I said was mainly applicable to India. We want to build a good working bilateral relationship with India,” he said. Kobir said Bangladesh’s first engagement with a country with which it wants to develop better relations should ideally be through a bilateral visit rather than a meeting on the sidelines of a multilateral forum. “That was said only in the case of India. I never said that whenever we attend a multilateral event, we will not meet anyone,” he said. He clarified, however, that this does not mean Bangladesh will avoid meeting countries on the sidelines of international forums. Asked about recent incidents along the Bangladesh-India border, Kobir said the government would address such issues through diplomatic channels. “We will resolve these issues through diplomatic discussions,” he said. He said Bangladesh would raise its concerns with India at every appropriate level while adhering to international law, border protocols and agreements between the two countries. Asked about the reported review of 101 MoUs, Kobir said the agreements were being scrutinised and reviewed through the parliamentary process. The 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will once again bring together world leaders to revitalise global cooperation, give a critical push to the Sustainable Development Goals and drive collective action for peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet. The State Minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to leave for New York on September 21 to attend the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly and will stay there until September 26. The Prime Minister is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly, where he will present Bangladesh’s new vision and highlight the country’s democratic transition and aspirations for the future. “He will share his thoughts and vision for the future of Bangladesh with world leaders,” Kobir told reporters. “He will have a very busy schedule in New York,” Kobir said, adding that the Prime Minister would hold meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Asked whether the UN Refugee Convention would be discussed during the visit, Kobir said Bangladesh would organise a sideline event focusing on the Rohingya crisis. “There will be a high-level discussion or meeting on the Rohingya crisis as part of the visit. It is a major priority for us,” he said. Asked about the possibility of a sideline meeting between the Prime Minister and US President Donald Trump, the state minister said such meetings are often decided at the last moment during major international conferences. “The primary focus of the Prime Minister’s visit is to address the UN General Assembly,” he said, adding that details of the sideline meetings would be known in due course.

India has said issues relating to the Ganga Water Treaty between Bangladesh and India will be discussed under the framework of the bilateral Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) as Bangladesh awaits New Delhi’s response on the matter. “Ganga Water Treaty was signed in 1996 for a period of 30 years and all water related issues, river related issues between India and Bangladesh are discussed as part of the agenda of the bilateral Joint Rivers Commission,” said Official Spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal. Talking to reporters in New Delhi recently, Jaiswal said further meetings of the Joint Committee of the Ganga Water Treaty continue to be held at the technical level. The government is determined to renegotiate the Ganga Water Sharing Treaty with India while preserving the rights of the Bangladeshi people. Replying to a supplementary question from Bagerhat-4 lawmaker Abdul Aleem, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on Thursday said Bangladesh remains active in pursuing its fair share of water from common rivers. He said a team has been formed to prepare a new agreement following the expiry of the Ganges Water-sharing Treaty, and the Indian authorities have been informed accordingly. “We are now waiting for their response.” The Bangladesh-India Ganga/Ganges Water Treaty was signed in 1996 for a period of 30 years which is expiring in December this year. Experts said the treaty needs to be ‘reviewed and reformed comprehensively’ before going for a renewed treaty by engaging economists, urban planners, sociologists and environmentalists in the planning, as Dhaka shares the ‘risk’ of not sharing it appropriately. Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur, while attending the ninth Indian Ocean Conference in Mauritius, said they would like to see that there is an arrangement and a new treaty, or a revised treaty, ensuring the essential needs of their people. “These are common rivers, and we have common legacies here, common interests and, as I said, there's no other alternative but to seek a solution that is durable and will win public trust. And this will also be very important to lay the basis for the relationship over the next 25 to 50 years,” he told NDTV on the sidelines of the conference. “I think it is very important for Bangladesh and India to renew the Ganges Treaty. But it has to be revised. The very simple reason is that the treaty was done almost three decades ago,” Prof Shahab Enam Khan, who is the Executive Director of Bangladesh Center for Indo-Pacific Affairs, told UNB recently.

Bangladesh on Sunday urged India to act expeditiously on its request and help create a “propitious environment” for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to make a bilateral visit to India. "We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit," said A.K.M. Shahidul Karim, spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said officials of Bangladesh and India have been in touch with each other for several weeks on the possibility of a bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India. However, spokesperson Karim said, this process was “vitiated” by the open press interaction in New Delhi on 5th August by Sheikh Hasina who has been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal for committing crimes against humanity. "We have made our position clear on this matter," he said while reading out a written statement. The spokesperson, however, did not take any question.   To this end, Bangladesh requested the Indian authorities to expeditiously act on its request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals, and to hand over to Bangladesh the accused killers of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi in compliance with their bilateral extradition treaty. "We are awaiting their response," said the spokesperson. Bangladesh reiterated that they will continue to pursue their "Bangladesh First" policy to promote friendly bilateral relations with other countries, including their neighbours, on the basis of sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutual benefit. On Hasina’s extradition request, the Indian government has recently said that the matter is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Friday evening that they have extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. “We've also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a visit to India for the outreach session of the BRICS Summit. So, these invitations have been extended, and I shall keep you updated if there is any progress in this regard,” he added. On Thursday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Tarique Rahman’s visits to India and Japan had not yet been finalised, stressing that the timing would depend on the prime minister’s schedule and the progress of discussions between the two countries. “The government is busy, the Prime Minister is busy,” she told reporters, referring to the government’s ongoing domestic programmes and upcoming constitutional activities. Asked whether the prime minister would attend the BRICS Summit’s outreach session or undertake a bilateral visit to India, the state minister said there was still sufficient time to make a decision. “A lot can happen in a month,” she said. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi on Saturday highlighted the importance of working together to advance the partnership in key sectors and nurture the exceptional bond of friendship between Bangladesh and India. “We recognise that it is the people-to-people connection, rooted in shared aspiration and mutual goodwill, that remains the true beating heart of this enduring friendship,” he said while celebrating India’s 80th Independence Day at the Indian High Commission in Dhaka. Trivedi urged the two countries to work together towards shared prosperity, noting that Bangladesh and India are advancing their partnership across vital sectors, ranging from trade and connectivity to security and healthcare. “Let us also continue to nurture the exceptional bonds of friendship between India and Bangladesh, working hand in hand toward shared prosperity,” he said. The High Commissioner reflected on the foundations of the relationship and said the two countries are bound by a shared history of the freedom struggle and had built their ties on mutual respect and partnership. “With the history of the freedom struggle, our bond is deeply entwined. On this solid bedrock of shared history, mutual respect, and partnership, our relationship continues to flourish,” Trivedi said.  

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s possible visit to India is emerging as a key test of efforts to move Dhaka-Delhi relationship onto a more constructive footing, with the two sides stepping up consultations but yet to finalise the timing of the visit. “Everything, I’m reading - not only here in India, but also in Bangladesh - they are all saying possibilities. So I think these are all speculation in the absence of an official confirmation. Nobody clearly knows yet. However, there appeared to be interest on both sides in making the visit happen,” a diplomatic source told UNB, stressing that India is ready to host the Bangladesh Prime Minister anytime. If the visit takes place, it would be Tarique Rahman's first trip to India as Bangladesh's Prime Minister who visited Malaysia and China in June this year. “We have extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a bilateral visit. We've also extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh for a visit to India for the outreach session of the BRICS Summit,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi on Friday evening. “So, these invitations have been extended, and I shall keep you updated if there is any progress in this regard,” he added. On Thursday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visits to India and Japan have not yet been finalised, saying the timing will depend on the Prime Minister's schedule and the progress of discussions between the countries. "The government is busy, the Prime Minister is busy," she told reporters, referring to the government's ongoing domestic programmes and upcoming constitutional activities. Asked whether the Prime Minister would attend the upcoming BRICS Summit's outreach session or make a bilateral visit, the State Minister said there is still sufficient time to make a decision. "A lot can happen in a month," she said. Multifaceted Relations Responding to a question on energy cooperation with Bangladesh, the MEA Spokesperson said they have an ongoing arrangement with Bangladesh for the supply of diesel, and this continues. Regarding the additional request, Jaiswal said this will be examined keeping in mind their own requirements, refining capacity, as well as the availability of diesel in their country. "We import diesel from India through the pipeline, and we have requested them to supply more," Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood said August 6. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a letter to his Bangladesh counterpart in February said he looks forward to working closely with the Bangladesh Prime Minister to strengthen their “multifaceted” bilateral relations, enhance regional cooperation, and advance their common goals in wide-ranging areas of connectivity, trade, technology, education, skill development, energy, healthcare, as well as cultural and people-to-people exchanges. He invited the Prime Minister, his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman and their daughter Barrister Zaima Rahman to pay a visit to India at a convenient time, noting that, “A warm welcome awaits you in India.” India Ready to Host PM Asked about preparations for a high-level visit, a senior official said the process would normally begin with the two sides agreeing on dates, followed by formal confirmation of the programme by the host government and confirmation of the Prime Minister’s availability by the visiting side. Media reports suggest different possible dates - August and September - while preparations are being made to accommodate the visit even at short notice. “Before any kind of high-level visit, there is a certain amount of time needed for preparation. You don’t have enough time if you want this visit to take place next week,” a source told UNB, adding that there is always an option for an exceptional approach. Officials need to establish what the leaders are actually going to discuss and whether there are issues that need to be resolved beforehand. Sources said the proposed visit would require adequate preparation on the Bangladeshi side, particularly if substantive issues are expected to be discussed. “Five days are not enough to negotiate even a simple agreement,” a diplomatic source told UNB. “From our side, we are ready to host him (PM) anytime,” a source in New Delhi told UNB, adding that it is unclear whether any conditions had been attached to the proposed visit. He expressed hope that the situation would become clearer soon and that the visit, if confirmed, could take place as planned. There are issues like former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's extradition request; border management and killings; trade and transit; energy; people-to-people movement; water-sharing of common rivers; security cooperation; and regional and global issues. Regarding Hasina’s extradition request, the Indian government said the request is being examined as part of ongoing judicial and internal legal processes. A bilateral visit by the Prime Minister to India would require the two sides to first settle the dates, agenda and political understandings on several sensitive issues, with recent high-level consultations suggesting that groundwork for such an engagement is already under way. Bangladesh and India appear to be moving fast toward renewed engagement despite fresh tensions over Hasina’s virtual activities in India and Dhaka’s demand for her extradition. The latest round of diplomatic engagement came after Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi held a series of meetings in Dhaka, including with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed. The High Commissioner met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday and shared the message he carried from Dhaka after his three important meetings with the Bangladesh leadership. Trivedi sought guidance from the Indian Prime Minister on further strengthening the multifaceted and enduring relationship between the two neighbours in a constructive manner with a people-centric approach, the source said. The High Commissioner returned to Dhaka on Friday, a diplomatic source told UNB. On August 4, India confirmed that an invitation has been extended to the Prime Minister to attend the BRICS Summit as the BIMSTEC Chair, while a separate bilateral invitation has been in place since February this year. India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, focusing on global cooperation, trade and sustainable development. "You would be aware that a formal invitation to Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit India was extended when he assumed office in February 2026," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. As far as the BRICS Summit is concerned, he said India has separately extended an invitation to the Bangladesh Prime Minister in his capacity as the current Chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) to attend the outreach session of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. "The invitation has been extended as per the standard practice being followed in BRICS for the outreach sessions. Other heads of regional groups have also been invited in a similar manner," the MEA spokesperson said. During the courtesy meeting with the Bangladesh Prime Minister, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tarique Rahman and the intent to work together with the government and the people of Bangladesh in a "positive, constructive and forward-looking" manner. They exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and discussed avenues for further strengthening bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh with a people-centric approach. During his meeting with Home Minister Salahuddin, they discussed areas of common interest, including security cooperation between the two countries and ways to further strengthen bilateral relations. The High Commissioner conveyed India’s willingness to strengthen people-centric cooperation in all domains, based on mutual interest, mutual benefit, and mutual sensitivities.

Bangladesh Railway is set to receive the first rake of 19 LHB broad gauge passenger coaches from India’s Rail Coach Factory (RCF), Kapurthala, the Indian government said. The first rake comprises 03 AC Sleeper Cars, 03 AC Chair Cars, 11 Non-AC Chair Cars and 02 Power Cars.  These coaches incorporate several unique design features and modifications, many of which have been developed for the first time in LHB-type coaches. The coaches have been specially customised to meet the operational and passenger requirements of Bangladesh Railway, according to the Press Information Bureau of India. 

Despite brief tensions that surfaced between Dhaka and New Delhi following former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent speech in New Delhi, Bangladesh and India are heading toward renewed engagement, signaling their intent to take bilateral relations forward constructively. Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi, who submitted his credentials to the President on June 25, is set to meet Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for the first time on Monday. Issues of mutual interest are likely to be discussed at the meeting. Ahead of his meeting with the Prime Minister, the High Commissioner met Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman at state guesthouse Padma on Sunday afternoon as both sides continue efforts to engage constructively. Neither side briefed reporters on the outcome of the meeting. "I can only tell you it's a pre-arranged meeting, and I don't know what they discussed," a senior official aware of the meeting told UNB, adding that the meeting between the Prime Minister and the Indian envoy will be held in the first half of the day.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam on Thursday said India needs to decide whether it will continue to allow convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Awami League leaders to carry out what she described as conspiratorial activities from Indian territory. "If the autocratic, fascist, convicted Awami League leaders and the head of the Awami League, sitting on Indian soil, continue to carry out such conspiratorial activities, and if the Indian government does not stop it right now, then it will certainly create a cause for concern for the people of Bangladesh," she told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the evening. The State Minister said discussions between the two countries would continue while urging India to be more sensitive to the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh. "India needs to be more sensitive in that area and take a very intelligent decision about what it wants to do in the future," she said. The State Minister accused the Awami League (whose activities are currently banned) of attempting to revive what she described as an old political narrative linking Bangladesh to extremism. "This theory of militancy is the old dirty politics of the Awami League. They are now trying to do it again on foreign soil. Whether India will allow it or not... it is up to the Indian government to decide," she said, stressing that the AL is doing this to gain international attention. Shama expressed hope for healthy bilateral ties based on equality and mutual respect. "India is a democratic country. India itself has to decide what its foreign policy regarding Bangladesh will be. We want good relations, in the interest of the people of both countries. But the relationship has to be based on equality, with mutual respect and dignity. If India understands that, it will be good for everyone," Shama Obaed said. Rejecting allegations of militancy in Bangladesh, she said the country has an elected government supported by the people and that such claims have no credibility either domestically or internationally. She also criticised the Awami League's record on democracy and human rights. Shama Obaed said Bangladesh wants stronger relations with India but urged New Delhi to make its position clear over the activities of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Awami League leaders from Indian soil, warning that the issue could affect bilateral ties. She said Bangladesh has already conveyed its concerns through an official statement and stressed that India now needs to decide what kind of relationship it seeks with Bangladesh. "You have seen our statement. In the statement, we have said and tried to convey as much as a country can in diplomatic language. And before that, we have repeatedly said that India's position should be clear about what kind of relationship it wants with Bangladesh," the State Minister said. Referring to Sheikh Hasina, Shama Obaed said, "When a convicted criminal sits on Indian soil and says such things, and the Indian government allows it, then, of course, there is concern for Bangladesh and the people of Bangladesh about where our relationship will stand in the future." "Now, when we hear democracy from the mouth of the Awami League, when we hear human rights from the mouth of the Awami League, it becomes a very ridiculous thing," she said, referring to allegations of enforced disappearances and killings during the party's rule. Shama Obaed said the people of Bangladesh remain united against any return of what she termed fascism. Despite the concerns, the State Minister reiterated that Dhaka wants constructive engagement with New Delhi, noting that the two neighbours have a wide range of bilateral issues requiring continued dialogue. "We want our relations... because we have many issues with India, many bilateral issues—water, energy, and the border—that need to be resolved through discussion and dialogue," she said. Shama Obaed, however, emphasised that Bangladesh's relationship with India extends far beyond the current dispute. "A country has many aspects to its relationship with another country. We need to have a lot of dialogue with them, and we need to hold discussions. We have cooperation on energy, we have a major issue with them over water, and there are issues on the border - these have to be resolved through discussions," she said. On Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's possible participation in the BRICS Summit, the State Minister said the country remains interested in the grouping while noting that any decision on the Prime Minister's attendance at a future summit would depend on his schedule. "Bangladesh is currently chairing BIMSTEC. BRICS is a multilateral organisation in which Bangladesh is definitely interested in participating. Whether the Prime Minister will participate in it or not... that decision will have to be taken by him according to his schedule," she said.

Prime Minister’s Political Adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday alleged that India is once again using deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a “tool” to influence Bangladesh. He made the remarks while addressing a programme organised by the Shaheed July Smriti Sangsad at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 2nd anniversary of the July uprising. The event included financial assistance for families of those killed in the movement and a remembrance session. Rizvi, also BNP senior joint secretary general, said allowing Hasina to address a press conference on Wednesday was a “planned” move. “The country that claims to be the world's largest democracy has patronised this. Through this, Bangladesh’s sovereignty and independence have been insulted. Permission was deliberately granted to disrespect Bangladesh,” he said. The BNP leader alleged that India previously sought to control Bangladesh through Hasina but is no longer able to do so. “That is why Hasina is once again being used as a tool. The bloodthirsty monster has been driven out of Bangladesh. Now, a question has arisen can a fugitive convict engage in politics from the country where she has taken refuge? India has given her shelter, let her stay there. But from there, audio messages and statements are continuously being sent to create instability inside Bangladesh,” he said. Rizvi further alleged that Hasina was formally allowed to speak on the very date marking her ouster from power. “The Bangladesh government protested this. But the Indian government said it had no connection with the event. However, such a programme cannot be held without government approval. Without a government green signal, how could a fugitive convict and her son hold a press conference?” he said. The BNP leader also claimed that if Hasina returns to Bangladesh, the country will once again witness “bloodshed and she will spare no one.” Referring to the Awami League government, he alleged that there had been no fair justice during Hasina’s tenure. Rizvi claimed that judges who attempted to deliver impartial verdicts risked enforced disappearance or had to flee the country to save their lives.