Bangladesh Looks Beyond Career Diplomats for Key India Posting

By MANISH ANAND

The proposed appointment is likely to be viewed as a reciprocal gesture after India named senior politician Dinesh Trivedi as its High Commissioner to Bangladesh, signaling a possible shift in bilateral diplomatic engagement.

New Delhi, June 30, 2026 — Bangladesh is weighing appointing a political person of stature as the high commissioner in New Delhi. The move will be seen reciprocal after India appointed Dinesh Trivedi as high commissioner in Dhaka.

India and Bangladesh relations still remain in a stage of mutual suspicion. The episode involving Zahad Ur Rahman, an aide of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, at the New Delhi airport has brought a fresh sense of tension in the bilateral ties. Dhaka seems to be escalating the tension with an eye to extract concessions from New Delhi, informed sources said.

Sources said that Bangladeshi Prime Minister is weighing reciprocating India’s gesture of appointing a seasoned politician as the high commissioner in Dhaka. Trivedi is a former Union Minister and also an ex-Lok Sabha MP. The government has accorded a Cabinet rank for Trivedi, which has been given only to a few diplomats in the past.

“Bangladesh will very soon send a senior politician from the ranks of the Bangladesh National Party (BNP). He will also be accorded the Cabinet rank. In fact, the decision is being delayed due to the unexpected spanner given by the airport episode, which miffed the Bangladeshi Prime Minister,” sources said.

Tarique Rahman recently visited China for a five-day official trip during which the two nations inked strategic pact. “The Bangladesh PM would have come to visit India first. But things didn’t go on expected lines,” said a source.

Former Chief Advisor of Bangladesh Muhammad Yunus had also chosen China for his first bilateral visit. Rahman, thus, has indicated that he would be pursuing the foreign policy in accordance with the trajectory crafted by Yunus. Notably, China constitutes sizable chunk of the foreign debt of Bangladesh.

Trivedi, a Bengali speaking politician, has a clear task on hand to repair the India-Bangladesh relations. The BNP as a legacy carries an image of tilt for Pakistan and China. But India had struck working relations with Begum Khalida Zia in her last term as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

China-Bangladesh joint communique, issued after Rahman’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, is inviting a close scrutiny in New Delhi. The Chinese involvement in the affairs of the Teesta River and Mangla Port may be seen as red flags in New Delhi, according to a former diplomat.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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