PM to visit India at a convenient time: Humaiun

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir has expressed optimism that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will visit India at a convenient time, saying the premier has never ruled out a bilateral visit and that outstanding issues need to be addressed through dialogue.

“The prime minister never said no to visiting,” Kobir told reporters after delivering his speech at the Bay of Bengal Conversation at a local hotel in Dhaka.

He said Bangladesh wanted the visit to take place in a conducive environment and under a proper bilateral framework, without giving a specific timeframe.

“To maintain relations with another country, bilateral engagement is required. We will do it directly. The visit will be bilateral, and we will talk,” he said.

Kobir acknowledged challenges in Bangladesh-India relations but said Dhaka remained hopeful of resolving them through dialogue. He said discussions were ongoing and described them as positive.

Praising Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi, Kobir said he was trying to understand Bangladesh’s current context and expressed hope that New Delhi would give due importance to his assessments.

On the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty, due to expire in December 2026, Kobir said Bangladesh would seek an outcome that serves its national interests and security.

“Our committee is ready. We are just waiting for the final response from our Indian counterparts. So yes, we are hopeful,” he said.

Speaking at the Bay of Bengal Conversation, Kobir said Bangladesh viewed the Bay of Bengal as a strategic opportunity rather than a potential theatre of confrontation.

“We want the Bay to remain a space of peace, stability and cooperation. We do not want it to become a theatre of confrontation by any means,” he said.

He said Bangladesh’s foreign policy would be guided by national interests, combining strong international partnerships with strategic autonomy.

“We want strong partnership, but we also want strategic autonomy. We want cooperation, but we do not want dependency,” he said.

On bilateral concerns, Kobir said Bangladesh expected India to prevent individuals based there from using its territory to make political statements or engage in activities aimed at destabilising Bangladesh.

“Restraining a terrorist or extremist in their land is not too much to ask,” he said, adding that Bangladesh also did not allow anyone from India to use its territory to speak against the Indian government.

Kobir said India remained an important partner despite differences and stressed that Bangladesh would keep the door open for dialogue.

“We will engage across the board,” he said, adding that Dhaka would continue seeking solutions to outstanding issues through openness and candidness.