Bangladesh's New President and a Stalled India Visit: What Next?
Veteran Bangladeshi politician Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was sworn in as the country's 23rd President on Friday (August 21, 2026), following a parliamentary vote — the first such election in 35 years. The top office fell vacant after Mohammed Shahabuddin, who had been elected unopposed in 2023 as the nominee of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, resigned last month, halfway through his five-year term and about two years after Ms. Hasina was removed from power.
The political churn that Bangladesh began witnessing two years ago continues. While several South Asian countries have seen youth-led protests and subsequent regime changes, collapsing these varied political and economic contexts may not be helpful. The leaders and parties that replaced the old political order in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh bring specific characteristics and baggage to governance, shaped by each country's complex political history. Each story is distinct.
President Alamgir is no newcomer to politics. He was a university student during a period of tumult and nationalist consciousness, later joining the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and rising to become its General Secretary. Known as "a master of marathon meetings, sustained simply by cups of tea," he has a long political journey that reflects the country's turbulent democratic struggles.
In an interview with The Hindu in February this year, Mr. Alamgir, who then held charge of the Ministry of Local Governance, Rural Development and Cooperatives, described the period under Ms. Hasina as "very difficult." Speaking on the question of her return, he said: "There is a popular demand to punish her, and we believe that India should hand her over to us. But not handing over Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh will not be a deterrent to build trade and commercial ties. We want to build even better ties."
In this context, speculation over the possible visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to India merits attention. The likelihood of PM Rahman's visit next month for the BRICS Summit "remains slim" unless an appropriate environment based on "mutual trust" is created, along with a "dignified invitation" from New Delhi, his Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir has said. Dhaka is in "no hurry" to arrange a top-level visit without clearly defined national interests, he added.
New Delhi's messaging has appeared inconsistent. An email to the media by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday (August 21, 2026) briefly created the impression that the long-discussed visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would take place soon. However, another release from the Rashtrapati Bhavan soon withdrew the previous note, saying, "A press release issued on the subject 'No change of guard ceremony this Saturday', which was issued on August 21, 2026, stands withdrawn."
Bangladesh, on the other hand, has been unambiguous in articulating its expectations, demanding that India create "propitious" circumstances for the visit by extraditing deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the suspected killers of radical student leader Osman Hadi.
This raises a critical question: Can India really extradite Sheikh Hasina under the 2013 treaty with Bangladesh? The legal implications are complex, and India must navigate this sensitive issue carefully, balancing its bilateral relationship with Dhaka and its own legal obligations.
As the two countries await a possible thaw, the path forward remains uncertain. The onus is on both sides to build trust and address outstanding concerns, while respecting each other's sovereignty and legal frameworks.
