India's High Commissioner pitches parliamentary cooperation with Bangladesh leadership

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi has held talks with Bangladesh's parliamentary leadership to expand legislative cooperation, pitching joint delegation exchanges and friendship groups between the two legislatures.

Trivedi met Speaker Maj Gen (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal at the Jatiya Sangsad on September 2, 2026, the Indian High Commission said in a social media post.

Parliamentary cooperation on the table

The envoy told his counterparts that engagement between the two parliaments is vital for strengthening people-to-people ties between the two sovereign and democratic countries. Discussion topics included opportunities for formation of Parliamentary Friendship Groups, mutual visits of Parliamentary delegations under the guidance of both the Speakers, cooperation between Parliamentary committees and digitisation of Parliamentary records, the Mission said.

Trivedi reiterated an invitation, on behalf of Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, extended to the esteemed dignitaries to visit India at their earliest convenience.

PM visit left to Rahman's prerogative

Speaking to reporters after the meetings, Trivedi said it was entirely the prerogative of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman if he would visit New Delhi responding to an invitation from his counterpart Narendra Modi. "This is left to the Prime Minister's prerogative. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh is a very intelligent person. He is pro-people. I think we should leave it to the Prime Minister," he said when asked about Rahman's visit to India.

Prime Minister Modi sent a congratulatory message through Speaker Birla during Rahman's inauguration on February 17 and invited him to visit India along with his family. The second invitation came coinciding with the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13.

Trivedi said both sides' intentions in advancing bilateral ties remained "people-oriented" and "when it appears as a people-centric issue, then what must happen, will happen". Asked about progress in restarting talks between Bangladesh and India, the envoy said there was no end to discussion in a democracy. "If discussion ends, then that is not democracy," he said.

Bangladesh's government is seeking extradition of deposed premier Sheikh Hasina. Trivedi last month expressed hope that Bangladesh premier's India visit should happen soon as direct engagement between the two countries' leaders can help resolve bilateral issues.

Source: The Hindu