Bangladesh PM to visit India? Rashtrapati Bhavan note fuels speculation, then disappears

A Rashtrapati Bhavan communication briefly suggested that Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's long-discussed visit to New Delhi could be nearing, only for the President's office to withdraw the statement within an hour.

The communication, issued on Friday, August 21, said the regular Change of Guard Ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan would not be held on Saturday because of preparations for the ceremonial welcome of the Bangladesh prime minister.

Rashtrapati Bhavan withdraws communication

The email sent to the media was titled, “No change of guard ceremony this Saturday". It said, “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," the communication issued in the name of Navika Gupta, Deputy Press Secretary to the President of India, said.

The wording immediately raised questions about whether Rahman's visit to New Delhi had been finalised.

However, the President's office later issued another communication withdrawing the earlier statement.

“A press release issued on the subject ‘No change of guard ceremony this Saturday’, which was issued on August 21, 2026, stands withdrawn," the subsequent statement said.

Bangladesh visit remains uncertain

The developments have added to speculation surrounding Rahman's proposed India visit, which has been under discussion between Dhaka and New Delhi.

The trip has reportedly faced difficulties, with Bangladesh seeking the creation of “propitious" circumstances before the visit. These reportedly include issues related to the extradition of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and those accused of killing radical student leader Osman Hadi.

Bangladesh has also linked any high-level engagement with the broader state of relations between the two countries.

Dhaka seeks ‘mutual trust, confidence’

Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir said Rahman's visit would depend on an environment based on “mutual trust" and “confidence".

Kobir told state-run BSS News that Dhaka would take a “positive attitude" towards attending the BRICS Summit only if a “suitable environment is created based on consensus" between India and Bangladesh.

“There is no justification for rushing into a top-level visit by going beyond the national interest," Kobir said, while calling reports of Rahman's proposed New Delhi trip “baseless and assumption-driven".

The withdrawal from Rashtrapati Bhavan has therefore left the timing of any proposed visit unclear.