Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has said the government has not yet made any policy decision on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India.
He made the remarks while speaking to journalists at the Foreign Ministry on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Asked when Bangladesh-India relations would return to normal and whether the government would accept invitations extended to the prime minister for BIMSTEC and a bilateral visit, Khalilur said he could not predict when relations would become normal.
“I am not an astrologer, so I cannot say when relations will return to normal,” he said.
The foreign minister also clarified that the invitation related to BIMSTEC was extended to the BIMSTEC chairperson, rather than specifically to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
He said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier sent a letter inviting Tarique Rahman, which was handed over on the day the new government took office. “There is another invitation, and we will look into it,” he added.
When reporters asked whether any discussion or decision had been made regarding the prime minister’s India visit during Monday’s meeting, Khalilur replied, “No, we have not yet taken any policy decision on this.”
Asked whether the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty was discussed during the Indian high commissioner’s meeting with the prime minister, the foreign minister said it was purely a courtesy meeting.
“Generally, when a high commissioner meets the head of government, specific issues such as treaties are not discussed,” he said.
Khalilur also advised journalists to understand diplomatic protocols and the different levels of diplomatic engagement.
