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Dhaka: Despite the visible tensions between the two countries, Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s long-awaited visit to India is likely to take place very soon, with Dhaka viewing the visit as strategically important to restoring momentum in bilateral relations and addressing a range of trade and energy issues.

Relations between the two countries deteriorated after ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s press conference in Delhi. Even so, Bangladesh is still weighing the visit, since engagement with India is seen as critical to renewing the water-sharing agreement on the Ganges, which is nearing its expiry, a senior official of Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs told The Wire.

India has been strongly pushing for a bilateral meeting between Rahman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi by August, rather than relying on a meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit scheduled for September.

The Wire has also confirmed, through multiple sources including foreign diplomats and officials in Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, that the visit may take place in the last week of August if no major issue arises. Foreign ministry sources said Tarique Rahman is unlikely to attend the BRICS summit and would instead prefer a bilateral visit even if it gets pushed to September.

Both Dhaka and Delhi have been emphasising on a meeting between the two leaders as a way to reduce the negative political narrative that has developed on both sides and to create space for a more constructive relationship.

Also read: Tarique’s India Visit Still in Play as Indian Envoy Says Modi Wants to Meet

Business communities in both India and Bangladesh are also optimistic about Rahman’s visit, viewing the recent visit of a business delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) as an icebreaker.

Business leaders from both sides pushed for closer ties during several high-level meetings with government officials, including the finance minister, signalling a possible improvement in bilateral engagement. The Bangladesh business community and the Indian High Commission in Dhaka were involved in facilitating the delegation’s visit.

“After high-level interaction with the government, we are hopeful that the visit may happen,” a Bangladeshi business........

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