Rashtrapati Bhavan does U-turn on Bangladesh PM's visit

Rashtrapati Bhavan withdrew a communique regarding a rehearsal for Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman's ceremonial welcome, creating confusion about his visit.

The withdrawal highlights ongoing diplomatic friction between New Delhi and Dhaka, particularly over Bangladesh's demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi expressed Prime Minister Modi's desire to make Rahman's trip "memorable" amidst bilateral tensions.

Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir indicated that Rahman's BRICS summit visit remains "slim" without mutual trust and a dignified invitation.

The initial communique had announced the cancellation of the weekly Change of Guard ceremony for the rehearsal.

 

A fresh communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan stated that the "press release issued on the subject 'No Change of Guard Ceremony this Saturday', which was issued on August 21, 2026, stands withdrawn."

This came an hour after the President's house had announced the cancellation of the weekly ceremony for the full rehearsal of the welcome planned for the visiting Bangladesh Prime Minister.

Diplomatic Uncertainty Surrounds Visit : The withdrawn communique had read: "The Change of Guard Ceremony at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan will not take place this Saturday (August 22, 2026) due to the full rehearsal for the ceremonial welcome of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh."

This development has led to further diplomatic uncertainty surrounding Rahman's proposed visit to New Delhi for the upcoming BRICS summit, following recent tensions between the two neighbours over Dhaka's demand for Hasina's extradition.

On Tuesday, Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi sought to ease bilateral friction during a reception in Dhaka for Bangladeshi business leaders and a visiting Indian delegation.

During the event, he conveyed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi desired to make Rahman's trip "memorable."

"Prime Minister Modi just mentioned one thing. We need to meet," Trivedi had said.

However, signals emerging from the diplomatic corridors of Dhaka remained cautious. In an interview with the state-run BSS news agency published on Thursday, Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir stated that the likelihood of Rahman's summit visit "remained slim" unless an atmosphere built on "mutual trust" and a "dignified invitation" from New Delhi were available.

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique on Friday announcing the cancellation of Saturday's Change of Guard ceremony to accommodate the full rehearsal of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's ceremonial welcome was withdrawn, adding a fresh layer of confusion to the status of the high-profile visit.

The withdrawal highlighted the ongoing diplomatic friction between New Delhi and Dhaka ahead of the upcoming BRICS summit on September 12-13. Relations have been strained over Bangladesh's recent demand for the extradition of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.