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Published : 20 Feb 2026, 07:20 PM
India has voiced its expectation of strengthening its “multifaceted” relationship with Bangladesh.
At a weekly briefing on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman soon after his election victory.
He said Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla attended the swearing-in ceremony of the new government on Feb 17 and handed over a letter from Modi to Tarique.
“The letter underlined India’s commitment to support a democratic, progressive, and inclusive Bangladesh,” Jaiswal said.
“Building on the warm and historic ties between the two countries, India looks forward to further strengthening our multifaceted bilateral ties with Bangladesh,” he added.
Speaking at the same briefing, Jaiswal also addressed visa operations between the two countries.
He said these issues will be discussed with the Bangladesh government in due course.
Diplomatic ties between Dhaka and New Delhi had cooled following the fall of the Awami League government on Aug 5, 2024.
Ties saw a further downturn in December following the death of Inqilab Moncho leader Sharif Osman bin Hadi during treatment in Singapore.
On the night of Dec 18 last year, news of Hadi's death triggered attacks on two newspaper offices and the Chhayanaut building in Dhaka.
Simultaneously, a mob gathered outside the Indian Assistant High Commission in Chattogram, where stones were thrown at the mission.
Following these incidents, the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) in Chattogram suspended operations from Dec 2.
Bangladesh reciprocated the next day by halting visa and consular services at its Delhi and Agartala missions.
The landslide victory of the BNP in the recent elections, however, has initiated a diplomatic thaw.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Tarique Rahman via a statement on Feb 13, before the full election results were even out.
He later spoke with Tarique by telephone that afternoon to offer his congratulations and support.
While Dhaka invited Modi to the swearing-in ceremony, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs cited his attendance at the “AI Impact Summit” as the reason for his absence, sending Speaker Birla in his stead.
Visa services have also gained momentum since the BNP government took office.
The Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi began issuing visas to Indians on Friday.
This follows a statement from the Indian Assistant High Commissioner in Sylhet Aniruddha Das, who said on Thursday that all types of Indian visa processes would soon be restored.
