Bangladesh Looks to Purchase Increased Fuel From India

Bangladesh on Wednesday sought to increase fuel purchases from India, as foreign minister Khalilur Rahman made the new government's first ministerial visit to New Delhi, a further sign that strained relations between the two countries may be easing.

During his two-day trip, Rahman held talks with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, including on energy cooperation.

Rahman thanked India for recent diesel shipments and sought higher volumes of fuel and fertiliser, with Puri indicating that the request would be considered “readily and favourably,” Bangladesh's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Bangladesh is heavily dependent on energy imports, which have been disrupted by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

The ministerial visit marks an early diplomatic outreach by the administration of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, who took office in February following a landslide general election victory.

Discussions also covered easing travel restrictions and strengthening security cooperation. India said visa procedures for Bangladeshis — particularly for medical and business purposes — would be relaxed in the coming weeks, according to the statement.

Despite deep cultural and economic links and a shared 4,000-km border, ties between the neighbours deteriorated after Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled to New Delhi in 2024 following mass protests.

Dhaka renewed its call for Hasina, who has been sentenced by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, to be extradited, the statement added.

Rahman also met India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, with talks covering broader regional and international issues and the need to expand cooperation across sectors.

As attacks on Bangladesh's Hindu minorities further exacerbated tensions, both countries suspended visa services and India imposed port restrictions on some goods from Bangladesh. But there had already been recent signs of a thaw in the relationship.

Indian foreign minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Bangladesh in December to attend the funeral of Tarique Rahman's mother and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first leaders to congratulate him when he won the election.

(Reuters)