Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla traveled to Dhaka on Tuesday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Bangladesh’s new Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, carrying with him a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi inviting Rahman to visit India.
Birla represented India at the inauguration of Rahman and his cabinet, which followed the February 12 general elections in which Rahman secured a two-thirds majority marking his return to power after 17 years in exile. Along with the letter, Birla personally conveyed Modi’s congratulations and best wishes to the newly sworn-in prime minister.
“Just concluded a constructive meeting with Prime Minister of Bangladesh @trahmanbnp. I handed over a personal letter from Prime Minister @narendramodi conveying his wishes to PM Rahman and inviting him to visit India at the earliest convenience,” Birla wrote on X.
The Speaker also reaffirmed New Delhi’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties between the two neighboring nations. “I extended warm congratulations on behalf of the people of India and reaffirmed our commitment to deepening the enduring partnership between our two neighbouring countries,” he added in the same post.
Tarique Rahman’s elevation to the prime ministership comes roughly two years after his predecessor Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. Modi was among the first world leaders to reach out to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader following his election victory — a gesture widely seen as a diplomatic signal of reconciliation amid strained ties that had developed during the interim government period in Bangladesh.
Modi’s outreach had begun a day earlier, on February 13, when he posted his congratulations on X. “Delighted to speak with Mr. Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections. I conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh,” the Indian prime minister wrote. He added: “As two close neighbours with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, I reaffirmed India’s continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples.”
However, Rahman has signaled that Dhaka intends to chart its own course in foreign policy. When asked about the future of India-Bangladesh relations, he said, “The interests of Bangladesh and its people will determine our foreign policy,” framing his administration’s approach around a “Bangladesh First” agenda that will guide the country’s bilateral engagements with all neighboring nations.
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