Published : 01 Sep 2026, 11:03 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:37 AM
Bangladesh and India should look beyond past difficulties and focus on strengthening people-to-people ties and cooperation, Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi has said.
“Relations between India and Bangladesh cannot remain stuck in the past,” Trivedi told reporters after meeting Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Abdul Moyeen Khan at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Tuesday.
“If we remain stuck, development work will not happen,” he said, stressing that stronger people-to-people relations should ultimately ensure that decisions taken by the two governments have a positive impact on ordinary citizens.
The meeting focused on strengthening ties between the two countries, including trade and economic cooperation and the possibility of free trade, according to a statement from the ministry.
Trivedi said India and Bangladesh “share the same dreams” and a border, which increases their responsibilities as neighbours.
“As neighbours, our responsibility increases. And as neighbours, I always say we are equal. No one is bigger than the other and no one is smaller,” he said.
He also called for both countries to recognise and understand each other's democratic challenges while moving forward.
The meeting also discussed cooperation in local government.
Trivedi expressed India's interest in sharing expertise and helping develop skills in Bangladesh's local government sector.
He suggested that Bangladeshi officials and representatives could receive training and exchange experiences through an institute in Hyderabad specialising in training.
At the start of the meeting, Trivedi congratulated Moyeen on taking charge of the ministry and praised his long political experience.
He also conveyed his greetings on the 48th founding anniversary of the BNP.
Moyeen stressed the importance of further developing the longstanding close ties between the peoples of Bangladesh and India, based on mutual interests, cooperation and public welfare.
State Minister Mir Shahe Alam said the government was committed to holding free, fair and impartial local government elections, with elections to all five tiers to be completed within the current fiscal year.
He said India had expressed interest in sending observers to Bangladesh's local government elections and using its experience in the process.
The matter would be discussed with the Election Commission, he said.
Trivedi's comments come amid efforts to improve bilateral ties following tensions during the interim government. India has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit the country, while Bangladesh, as chair of BIMSTEC, has also been invited to the BRICS outreach summit.
However, Tarique's proposed India visit has become uncertain following former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's public remarks in New Delhi.
