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Published : 24 May 2026, 11:00 PM
In a reflective farewell message, outgoing Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma has shed light on how the relationship between Dhaka and New Delhi navigated "multiple transitions" during his extended tenure in Bangladesh.
The diplomat, who worked across three different administrations in Dhaka, noted that while the situation was "challenging at times", the overall journey remained deeply enriching.
Verma, who has headed the Indian mission in Dhaka since September 2022, is departing to take up his new assignment as the ambassador of India to Belgium and the European Union.
New Delhi is replacing him by sending former minister Dinesh Trivedi as the new high commissioner to Bangladesh.
Reflecting on his nearly four-year stint -- which exceeded the conventional three-year diplomatic tenure -- Verma wrote:
"We stayed in Dhaka for nearly four years — longer than the usual three-year tenure. We saw multiple transitions during this time. Each very different from the other. Each with a new set of interlocutors. Each with its own prism for looking at relations with India. It could be challenging at times. But when I look back, it was an enriching and rewarding experience."
When Verma assumed charge, New Delhi and the then-Sheikh Hasina government frequently described the bilateral ties as a "golden chapter".
His tenure witnessed the Awami League forming a government for a fourth consecutive term in January 2024 following an opposition-boycotted election.
Seven months later, on Aug 5, 2024, the Hasina government fell in the face of a student-led movement, forcing the former prime minister into exile in India.
Verma then navigated a strained period of diplomatic ties under a subsequent 18-month interim administration, during which Dhaka and New Delhi repeatedly summoned each other's envoys over different contentions.
Following the February 2026 elections, which brought a new BNP-led government to power under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, both nations have embarked on efforts to normalise ties.
Verma shared his farewell note on Sunday after holding a valedictory meeting with Tarique.
"My wife Manu and I will carry many indelible memories from here,” he wrote.
“Many people touched our lives in remarkable ways, building bonds of friendship that will far outlast our diplomatic association with this country. Working in Bangladesh, I have realised how truly special and unique our relations are. At one level, we are connected by shared geography, history, language and traditions. We have a cultural affinity and empathy that is difficult to find between any other two societies."
He added that the two countries are bound by an emotional legacy dating back to the shared sacrifices made during the 1971 Liberation War.
“Ours is also a relationship of significant interdependencies and interlinkages. A prosperous Bangladesh is in India’s interest, as much as a prosperous India is in the interest of Bangladesh. I am convinced that it is this reality of our societal, cultural and emotional connections, and it is this logic of interdependence and mutual benefit that will continue guiding and taking forward our relations."
Verma stressed the necessity of a modern framework for bilateral engagement.
"Because we are so different today from our past, I also believe that we need a new, future-oriented agenda for our engagement. An agenda that is aligned with our new capabilities, new aspirations and new national development priorities. An agenda that is driven by our strong cultural and economic linkages. And an agenda that is based on mutual interest, mutual benefit and mutual respect."
Describing geographical proximity as an asset rather than a liability, he urged both nations to continually transform this closeness into mutual opportunities.
Verma noted that he is leaving Dhaka feeling highly optimistic about the future of the bilateral relationship.
"Four years is a long time, but not long enough with the fondness and emotional attachment that we have developed for this country and its people. Despite its share of ups and downs, our time in Bangladesh will remain etched in our memory as the most cherished posting for both me and my wife, simply for the incredible friendships we struck here and the warmth and affection we received from its people all across the country."
“We hope our paths will cross again — sometime, somewhere! Until then, all I want to say is — Aabaar Dekha Hobe [see you again]!" he concludes.
