Bangladesh foreign minister Khalilur Rahman on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s invitation to Tarique Rahman to visit India for the upcoming 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi is under review currently.The remarks came after Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi paid a courtesy call on the minister, five weeks after taking charge as India’s envoy to Bangladesh.“We are currently reviewing it (the invitation),” Rahman told the reporters. He said the prime minister had received several invitations for foreign visits and was also scheduled to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.“So, we have to consider all these engagements together,” he added.Prime Minister Modi had first invited Rahman and his family to visit India in February. A fresh invitation to attend the BRICS Summit was sent last week, according to officials.India reiterates commitment to stronger tiesThe Indian High Commission in Dhaka said High Commissioner Trivedi reaffirmed India’s commitment to a “positive, constructive and forward-looking partnership” with Bangladesh based on mutual interests and benefits, PTI cited.The High Commission also said Trivedi met state minister for foreign affairs Shama Obaed Islam for a wide-ranging discussion on strengthening bilateral cooperation across sectors. Speaking after the meeting, Trivedi said a visit by the Bangladeshi prime minister was entirely Dhaka’s decision but added that India was “eagerly looking forward” to welcoming him.“We hope the visit will take place very soon,” he said.Dhaka flags ‘irritants’ in bilateral tiesRahman said both countries agreed that bilateral relations should move forward on the basis of mutual interests and sovereign equality. However, he acknowledged that certain “irritants” in the relationship needed to be addressed.“He knows about them, and I know about them. It is very important that these irritants are addressed,” the foreign minister said.Asked whether the issue of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s extradition from India was discussed, Rahman said all bilateral issues would be taken up in future discussions.Hasina has been living in India since leaving Bangladesh following the collapse of her government in August 2024. Dhaka has repeatedly sought her extradition to face legal proceedings.
