DHAKA, Aug 16, 2026 (BSS) – Bangladesh today said a conducive environment needs to be created for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s proposed visit to India, linking it to Dhaka’s pending extradition requests to New Delhi.

“We are of the view that a propitious environment needs to be created for the visit,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson and Additional Foreign Secretary A.K.M. Shahidul Karim told reporters at the foreign ministry here. 

Karim said officials of Bangladesh and India had remained engaged over the possibility of the Prime Minister’s bilateral visit to India.

“Officials of Bangladesh and India have been in touch with each other for several weeks on the possibility of a bilateral visit by Hon'ble Prime Minister Mr. Tarique Rahman to India,” he said.

The spokesperson, however, said the process had been adversely affected by an open press interaction in New Delhi on August 5 by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“However, this process was vitiated by the open press interaction in New Delhi on 5th August by Sheikh Hasina who has been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal for committing crimes against humanity. We have made our position clear on this matter,” he said.

Karim said Dhaka had requested New Delhi to act expeditiously on Bangladesh’s extradition requests as part of efforts to create an appropriate environment for the proposed visit.

“To this end, we have requested the Indian authorities to expeditiously act on our request to extradite Sheikh Hasina and other fugitive criminals, and to hand over to Bangladesh the accused killers of Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi in compliance with our bilateral extradition treaty. We are awaiting their response,” he said.

The spokesperson reiterated that Bangladesh would continue pursuing its “Bangladesh First” foreign policy while maintaining friendly relations with other countries, including its neighbours.

“We reiterate that we will continue to pursue our "Bangladesh First" policy to promote friendly bilateral relations with other countries, including our neighbours, on the basis of sovereign equality, national dignity, non-interference in each other's internal affairs and mutual benefit,” he said.