NEW DELHI/DHAKA: India and Bangladesh are discussing a possible bilateral visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman late next week, official sources said. Though the visit has yet to be officially confirmed, Rahman is likely to travel to India between Aug 21 and 25, in what would be his first trip to the country after taking office.PM Narendra Modi had invited Rahman for a bilateral visit and followed it up with another invitation to the Bangladesh PM in the latter’s capacity as the BIMSTEC chair for the BRICS summit that India will host in Sept.The two sides seem to agree that the bilateral visit could be more significant in advancing efforts to reset ties, which remain strained over several issues, including extradition of former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina.According to diplomatic sources, other than Hasina, some of the issues that will likely weigh on Rahman’s mind while finalising his India trip include border management, domestic political optics, trade and visa normalisation, and water-sharing.For India, security concerns, including insurgent groups’ activities, protection of minorities and Dhaka’s potential tilt towards China and Pak, especially in defence and security, remain key issues.Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, when asked about the proposed visit, said “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.
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So, these invitations have been extended, and I shall keep you updated if there is any progress in this regard,” Diplomatic sources in Dhaka said that despite opposition from domestic hardliners.Tarique Rahman is likely to visit India for the first time later this month, possibly on Aug 22-23. The dates are expected to be discussed further over the next two days.Sources also said that senior officials from both countries have been discussing a possible window between Aug 20 and 25. An engagement before Aug 28 is also being explored.
