Bangladesh seeks reset in ties with India through direct talks

Bangladesh has signaled a desire to reset its relationship with India, emphasizing that future engagement should occur through direct bilateral discussions rather than multilateral forums. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir stated that Dhaka wants to move towards a "new relationship" with New Delhi, describing ties during the tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as "uncomfortable." Kobir made the remarks on September 13 and 14, following the conclusion of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. He clarified that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman did not attend the summit because the invitation was extended to him in his capacity as chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), not as Bangladesh's prime minister. India had also extended a separate bilateral invitation for a visit, which has been in place since February. "We want to move towards a new relationship, which should be done through bilateral discussions, not through a multilateral forum," Kobir told reporters. He emphasized that Bangladesh should take a more balanced approach towards India, stating, "We have to get out of the India fascination.