Within weeks of the formation of the government in Bangladesh under the leadership of Tariq Rahman, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) chief Major General Mohammad Qaiser Rashid Choudhary visited India earlier this month.
During the visit, he held meetings with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval as well as several senior military and civilian intelligence officials.
Indian newspapers see the visit as a sign of a possible thaw in the diplomatic chill that has persisted in relations between the two neighbors for the past two and a half years.
India’s online news portal The Print headlined its report: “A secret visit last week laid the groundwork for a thaw in Delhi-Dhaka ties.” Meanwhile, Hindustan Times published a report under the headline: “Bangladesh’s top security officials visit India for meetings.”
Both news reports suggest that the visit signals a possible normalization of relations between the two countries.
Relations between Bangladesh and India declined significantly after Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power during the student-led mass uprising in August 2024 and later fled to India.
Many of the young leaders of the rebellion expressed anger towards India for granting him asylum. Tension continued to increase even after the interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus took charge.
The combination of trade sanctions, visa suspensions and diplomatic protests pushed bilateral relations to one of the coldest points in recent history.
Many channels of communication between India and Bangladesh were effectively halted after the fall of the Hasina government that ruled for more than a decade and a half. Until Tariq Rehman took office, contacts between the two countries were largely maintained through the offices of the National Security Advisors.
However, following the general election on 12 February, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) returned to power. Since the formation of the new government in Dhaka, the administration of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has signaled its desire to advance relations, which has also received a positive response from Bangladesh.
It is in this background that the DGFI chief visited Delhi. During the visit, Major General Qaiser Rashid Choudhary also met Parag Jain, head of India’s intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Director General of India’s Military Intelligence Lieutenant General RS Raman, among others.
Citing persons familiar with the meetings, The Print reported that the DGFI chief and two senior Indian intelligence officials reached an understanding to ensure that no individual or group will be allowed to use the territory of either country to carry out activities detrimental to the interests of the other. They also discussed the possibility of reactivating communication channels that were lying dormant for more than two years.
Many channels of communication between India and Bangladesh were effectively halted after the fall of the Hasina government that ruled for more than a decade and a half. Until Tariq Rehman took office, contacts between the two countries were largely maintained through the offices of the National Security Advisors.
Former National Security Advisor of Bangladesh Khalilur Rahman now serves as the Foreign Minister in the cabinet of Tariq Rahman. During the tenure of the interim government, he and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval maintained communication between the two sides.
According to The Print, although the DGFI chief’s visit was officially described as a “medical visit”, it assumed significance in view of New Delhi’s security concerns regarding developments in Bangladesh. India fears that increasing violence in Bangladesh could affect peace and stability in its north-eastern states.
New Delhi has been signaling its interest in working and restoring normal relations with the BNP under the leadership of Tariq Rehman for several months.
After the death of BNP President and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent India’s Foreign Minister S Jaishankar to Dhaka. During a visit in December, Jaishankar met Tariq Rehman and discussed for about half an hour. He also handed over a condolence message to Tariq Rehman from New Delhi.
Jaishankar’s brief visit to Dhaka was limited to that meeting and did not include talks with the interim government’s chief advisor.
Later, in February, India’s Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended the swearing-in ceremony of Tariq Rehman.
The move was seen as another indication of India’s desire to normalize relations that had become strained during the interim administration of Professor Muhammad Yunus.
According to The Print, however, several challenges still remain in Bangladesh-India relations, including the internal political situation in Dhaka. India continues to grant asylum to Sheikh Hasina, who has been sentenced to death in Bangladesh for crimes against humanity. There is a demand for his extradition in Bangladesh.
Nevertheless, BNP general secretary and local government minister Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told The Hindu that Bangladesh–India relations would not be held “hostage” over the issue of Sheikh Hasina.
Several bilateral agreements remain important for both countries. These also include the India-Bangladesh Ganga water-sharing treaty of 1996, which is scheduled to expire in December this year. Additionally, economic sanctions imposed by both sides over the past two years will remain in place.
In this context, India on Sunday announced the arrest of Faisal Karim Masood and Alamgir Hussain, the main accused in the murder of Inquilab Moncho leader Shaheed Sharif Usman Hadi. West Bengal Special Task Force detained two suspects.
After the killing of Inquilab Moncho convener Usman Hadi in December last year, protests started in Bangladesh, India also became the center of people’s anger.
On 17 December, protesters under the banner of “July Oikya (Unity)” marched towards the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, demanding the arrest and extradition of the main suspect.
The arrest of the main accused in India is now also being seen as a sign of a possible new beginning in relations between the two countries. Bangladesh is expected to make diplomatic efforts with India to ensure the return of the suspects.