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New Delhi: Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India this month remains under negotiation, with no date yet confirmed despite the urgency of talks on renewing the Ganga Waters Treaty, securing additional fuel supplies and expanding bilateral trade, while the issue of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s continued political activities in India remains a factor in the discussions.

A diplomatic source told The Wire said the earliest possible window for Rahman’s visit was August 21-23, though there was no confirmation that he would travel on those dates.

Bangladesh’s Daily Star newspaper, meanwhile, reported that Dhaka and New Delhi were discussing dates between August 20 and 25, with August 20-21 and August 21-22 among the schedules under consideration.

The visit is being planned as a bilateral engagement rather than around the BRICS summit in New Delhi, which Rahman is not expected to attend. A diplomatic source said the BRICS summit had never been under serious consideration as the occasion for his first visit, as a substantive bilateral engagement would be needed to address issues such as the Ganga treaty.

The uncertainty over the timing comes as Bangladesh faces pressing energy and economic concerns. The country is experiencing prolonged power cuts and needs additional fuel supplies, while Dhaka is also seeking to streamline trade with India as it struggles with high inflation.

Earlier on Thursday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had said that Dhaka’s “additional request” for fuel........

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