Dhaka–Delhi towards a new beginning

Bangladesh and India now appear to be emerging from a long and difficult night towards a new dawn! The renewal is not simply about normalising diplomatic relations. This is an opportunity, after more than half a century of Bangladesh's independence, to reassess the relationship between the two neighbours in the light of a new political reality.
It should have happened earlier. Had the two countries been able to reassess their relationship early, perhaps the people of Bangladesh and India would not have to witness the prolonged and painful 18-month period that unfolded between 5 August 2024 and 12 February 2026. The bloodshed, distrust, retaliation and estrangement of that period now belong to history. Future historians may describe it as one of the darkest chapters in Bangladesh's political journey.
But the history teaches us that darkness does not last forever.
The moment demands that we look towards the future without losing sight of the past.
It is in this new phase that Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi's role assumes particular significance. As an experienced Indian politician, his political understanding, combined with diplomatic skill, gives him the potential to be more than a conventional envoy. He surely understands that relations between states are not built solely through documents, agreements and formal meetings. They are built through political trust, mutual understanding and the ability to recognise the requirements of a changing moment as well as the aspirations of the people.
His first meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is significant for precisely this reason.
The subsequent assurance from the Bangladesh government that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would be given full security if she returned to the country should not be viewed merely as an administrative statement. It carries a political message: The government is prepared to deal even with a political adversary within the framework of law.
That is what a functioning state should do.
The Sheikh Hasina question must be approached not through emotion or political vengeance but through law. There is no need to demand special privileges for her. What is necessary is a guarantee of her dignity, security and due fair legal process.
Also, the people of Bangladesh deserve answers.
Why did so many people die during the student-led Uprising in July-August, 2024? Who was directly involved? Who organised them? On whose instructions did they act? If financial transactions were involved, where did the money come from? Who provided it?
These questions cannot be answered through political speeches. They must be answered through evidence.
If an impartial investigation and judicial process establish that Sheikh Hasina was directly involved in planning or ordering killings, she must face justice within the full force of the law. Conversely, if it is established that allegations against her were politically motivated, fabricated or based on manipulated evidence, that truth must also be brought into the open.
That is the essence of justice: No one should be declared guilty or innocent in advance.
The events of 5 August must be examined in the hard light of the history, truth and evidence.
A mass political movement can transform the course of a nation's history. But if that transformation is accompanied by violence, retaliation, fears over minority security, attacks on property and institutions, or actions outside the law, those too must find their place in the historical record.
Who did what must be known?
On whose instructions killings were done?
Why it was done must be known?
Where the money came from must be known?
For a state, a crime is dangerous. But suppressing the truth about a crime can be even more dangerous.
This is precisely where the renewal of Bangladesh-India relations intersects with the question of Bangladesh's own political reckoning.
India and Bangladesh are neighbours by geography. Geography cannot be changed. Their interests are deeply intertwined in trade, border management, common river waters, connectivity, energy, security and regional geopolitics. Neither country can secure its long-term interests by keeping the other permanently uncomfortable.
But being neighbours does not mean being in agreement on everything.
Bangladesh will expect respect for its sovereignty and national interests. India will expect Bangladesh to take its security and strategic concerns seriously. The task of mature diplomacy is to create a balance between these two realities.
This is where Dinesh Trivedi's political experience and astute diplomacy could prove valuable.
The measure of his success will not be the number of meetings held, courtesies exchanged or joint statements issued. The real question will be whether he can help rebuild the bridge of trust between Dhaka and Delhi, a bridge badly damaged during the 18-month rule by an unelected and constitutional government led by Dr Mohammad Yunus. 
If his engagement with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman moves in that direction, it will not merely represent a diplomatic achievement for the present government. It could become an asset for the long-term relationship between the two countries.
Bangladesh-India relations cannot be permanently tied to one individual, one political party or one government. Relations between states must endure beyond changes of power.
The new foundation of this relationship should be mutual respect, sovereign equality, practical interests and political trust.
Not forgetting the past, but learning from it.
Not revenge, but justice.
Not distrust, but dialogue.
Not dominance, but partnership.
These four principles could form the basis of a new chapter in Dhaka-Delhi relations.
If Dinesh Trivedi can employ his political capacity and diplomatic judgement towards that larger objective, his mission in Dhaka will amount to more than the routine work of a High Commissioner. It could mark an important turning point in relations between two close neighbours, historically linked with the blood spilled during the 1971 War of Liberation of Bangladesh.
The best way to close a negative chapter of the history is not to erase the past, but to confront the truth and move towards the future.
Bangladesh and India now stand on a historical crossroads of an opportunity for a positive start.
Let the new chapter in Dhaka-Delhi relations begin with fairness, dignity, justice and mutual trust and understanding.