Dhaka Wants a Fresh Start With Delhi, Say Reset Is Best Done Face to Face

Bangladesh has signalled its desire to reset relations with India, with State Minister for Foreign Affair Humaiun Kobir saying Dhaka wants to build a new phase of bilateral engagement based on mutual interest. Speaking on Sunday, September 13, 2026, Kobir described Bangladesh relationship with India during the tenure of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as uncomfortable, suggesting that Dhaka now wants to move towards a different diplomatic frame work. The comments come at a sensitive moment in India Bangladesh relation. Just two days earlier, Bangladesh said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman would not attend the BRICS Summit hosted by India because he had not been invited. According to Dhaka, the invitation was instead extended to the chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). A Push for a New Diplomatic Phase Bangladesh’s call for a reset indicates that Dhaka is seeking to redefine its engagement with New Delhi around what it describes as mutual interests. The emphasis on bilateral discussions could point towards an attempt to bring contentious issues back into direct diplomatic channels rather than allowing disagreements to dominate the wider relationship. For India, however, any reset is likely to involve more than diplomatic messaging. Issues surrounding political developments in Bangladesh, security, trade, border management and regional cooperation remain important elements of the bilateral relationship. BRICS Absence Adds to the Context The remarks also come against the backdrop of Bangladesh absence from the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. Dhaka statement that Tarique Rahman was not invited has added another layer to an already complicated diplomatic relationship. With Bangladesh now openly talking about rebuilding ties, the next phase could depend heavily on whether both governments are willing to engage directly and address their differences. A reset, after all, is easier to announce than to achieve. For India and Bangladesh, turning the latest diplomatic signal into a meaningful new chapter will require sustained dialogue, political pragmatism and progress on issues that have complicated relations in recent year.