Tarique Rahman will decide on India visit: Dinesh Trivedi

India's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi has said the decision on Tarique Rahman's visit to India rests entirely with the Bangladesh prime minister.

He also said both sides' intentions in advancing Bangladesh-India relations remain "people-oriented".

Trivedi made the comments while answering questions from reporters after meeting Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and Deputy Speaker Kayser Kamal at the parliament on Wednesday.

Asked whether the current environment was favourable for a visit by the Bangladesh prime minister, Trivedi said the decision was the prime minister's prerogative.

He added: “The prime minister of Bangladesh is a very intelligent person, he is pro‑people. So I think we should leave it to him.”

The envoy stressed that both sides were committed to advancing relations on a people‑centric basis.

“When intentions are people‑oriented, things will happen,” he said.

Asked about progress in restarting talks between Bangladesh and India, Trivedi said there was no end to discussion in a democracy.

"If discussion ends, then that is not democracy," he said, comparing the continuation of dialogue to the flow of the Ganges and Padma rivers.

He said parliamentary engagement between the two countries was also discussed at the meeting.

Trivedi proposed forming a "friendship group" comprising lawmakers from Bangladesh and India, allowing them to work together beyond party divisions.

He said politics would continue in its own course, but the parliament represents the people and there was scope to deepen contact between the two legislatures.

The speaker welcomed the proposal, he said.

Trivedi also conveyed an invitation from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for the Bangladesh speaker and deputy speaker to visit India.

He said he spoke to Birla on Wednesday morning and, after being informed of his visit to Bangladesh, Birla asked him to convey his greetings and extend the invitation.

Digitising parliamentary activities was also discussed.

Trivedi, who chairs an Indian parliamentary committee on digitisation, said India's parliamentary library and old records had been digitised. Lawmakers can access agendas and documents on smartphones, while paper copies remain available for those who prefer them. Old parliamentary proceedings and speeches by former prime ministers can also be searched digitally.

The high commissioner said sports also came up in his meeting with the speaker, including Hafiz Uddin's sporting experience, footballer Chuni Goswami and recent cricket.

Trivedi also praised the architecture and surroundings of the parliament building.