New Delhi, April 27: Former Union Minister Dinesh Trivedi has been appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday.
The MEA confirmed his appointment in an official statement, noting, “Dinesh Trivedi will soon assume the role of High Commissioner to Bangladesh.”
Indications of Trivedi’s appointment had surfaced earlier. On April 19, BJP leader and head of the party’s IT cell, Amit Malviya, congratulated him via a post on X, stating, “Congratulations to former Union Minister and Barrackpore MP Dinesh Trivedi on his appointment as High Commissioner to Bangladesh.”
Trivedi is an experienced politician, and the timing of his appointment is significant. It comes at a moment when both countries are striving to normalize their relations.
He has previously served as the Minister of Railways (2011) and as the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare. In 2012, his proposal to increase passenger fares in the railway budget sparked political controversy, leading to strong opposition from Mamata Banerjee, which ultimately resulted in his resignation. Subsequently, Mukul Roy was appointed as the Railway Minister from the TMC quota.
On February 12, 2021, Trivedi resigned from the TMC and joined the BJP on March 6, 2021.
Trivedi represented the Barrackpore constituency in West Bengal from 2009 to 2019 and has also served as a Rajya Sabha MP during two terms, from 1990-96 and 2002-08.
He will succeed seasoned diplomat Pranay Verma. Trivedi’s political experience may play a crucial role in improving India-Bangladesh relations.
Relations between the two countries had soured following a coup in Bangladesh that ousted then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a period of unrest.
Tensions were particularly evident during the tenure of Yunus, with recent parliamentary elections in Bangladesh resulting in the election of BNP’s Tarique Rahman as Prime Minister. Signs of improvement in India-Bangladesh relations have emerged since his appointment.
On April 8, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Rahman and his delegation in New Delhi, where they engaged in extensive discussions on bilateral relations, regional, and global issues.
Following the meeting, Jaishankar posted on X, stating, “We discussed strengthening our bilateral relations across various aspects and exchanged views on regional and global developments, emphasizing the importance of staying connected.”
Khalilur Rahman’s visit to India was significant as it marked the first visit by a Bangladeshi minister since the formation of the BNP government in February. This visit hinted at a potential shift in India-Bangladesh relations. During the interim government of Muhammad Yunus, tensions had escalated due to rising attacks on Hindus and anti-India rhetoric.
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Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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