Bangladesh FM in India, most senior visit since 2024 uprising

Bangladesh's foreign minister met his Indian counterpart in New Delhi on Wednesday, the most senior visit by a Dhaka envoy since the 2024 revolution toppled India's old ally Sheikh Hasina.

Khalilur Rahman, who is on a "goodwill visit", raised the issues of extradition, energy and fertiliser supplies, and visas, Dhaka's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"Both sides emphasised the importance of advancing bilateral relations between the two countries in various dimensions," it said.

Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Dhaka in December to attend the funeral of former leader Khaleda Zia, the mother of the prime minister elected in February, Tarique Rahman.

Jaishankar said he had been "pleased to host" Khalilur Rahman, saying in a statement that they had discussed "strengthening our bilateral relationship", without giving further details.

"The two sides agreed to explore proposals for deepening the partnership through the relevant bilateral mechanisms," India's foreign ministry said in a readout.

Relations have improved since Tarique Rahman, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, won a landslide election victory, taking over from the interim administration that had led the country of 170 million people since Hasina was ousted.

Hasina fled to India, where she has remained in hiding, straining relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.

Bangladesh has repeatedly requested Hasina's extradition. She was sentenced to death in absentia in November for orchestrating a deadly crackdown on the uprising.

On Wednesday, Rahman again requested the extradition of the former premier and a close aide, according to Dhaka.

Both sides agreed to repatriate two Bangladeshi nationals arrested by Indian authorities last month in connection with the murder of a popular Bangladeshi student leader.

Sharif Osman Hadi, a vocal India critic who took part in Bangladesh's 2024 mass uprising, was shot by masked assailants in Dhaka on December 12 and later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Singapore. His attackers allegedly fled to India.