India-Bangladesh talks focus on people ties and local governance

Dhaka,UPDATED: Sep 1, 2026 20:26 IST

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi on Tuesday met Bangladesh's Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Abdul Moyeen Khan and discussed ways to deepen people-to-people ties and strengthen local government structures.

The meeting also touched on the broader direction of India-Bangladesh ties, with Trivedi saying the two neighbours should look to the future. When asked about Dhaka's demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, he said his position as envoy prevented him from commenting on Bangladesh's internal affairs.

Minister of State Mir Shahe Alam was also present at the meeting. In a post on X, the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said, "The discussions focused on deepening the people-to-people ties between India and Bangladesh. They also discussed ways to strengthen the local government structures, which is a shared priority of the two democracies."

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Trivedi said, "I am an ambassador. We do not want to say anything about internal politics, nor should we," when asked for comments on Dhaka's demand for Hasina's extradition after she was sentenced to death following a trial in absentia. He added, "The people of the country and the majority government elected by the people's votes understand best what is good for the people."

Trivedi, however, said decisions taken by the two countries "affect ordinary people", making it the governments' responsibility to ensure their welfare. He said people-to-people contact should be the main basis of bilateral ties and added that "as neighbours, we are equal. No one is bigger, and no one is smaller".

Dhaka-Delhi ties are described to have seen their lowest ebb during the Muhammad Yunus-led interim regime after the ouster of Hasina's government in a violent street protest on August 5, 2024. Trivedi said Bangladesh and India should move ahead instead of staying fixed on the past. "Although we cannot forget the past, there is no opportunity to remain stuck in it. If we remain stuck, development work will not happen," he said.

The meeting centred on people-to-people ties and local government cooperation, while Trivedi also underlined that India and Bangladesh should focus on the future and keep the welfare of ordinary people at the centre of bilateral decisions.

With PTI Inputs

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