A fortnight after the leader of Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh revealed that he had held a “secret” meeting with an Indian diplomat, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday (January 16, 2026) said the interaction was part of the routine engagements conducted by Indian diplomats in Dhaka.
“We have close bilateral ties with Bangladesh as you are well aware. Our High Commission officials routinely meet several interlocutors,” official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to a question, adding that “our interaction” with Jamaat-e-Islami “should be viewed in that context”.
In an interview with Reuters, Jamaat ameer (president) Shafiqur Rahman had revealed in December 2025 that an Indian diplomat had met him. The Dhaka Tribune had reported that the meeting between the Indian diplomat and Mr. Rahman was held earlier in 2025. In the interview, Mr. Rahman said that while his meetings with international representatives were generally placed in the public domain, the Indian official had requested him to keep the meeting “secret”. “We have to be open to everyone. There is no alternative to improving mutual relations,” Mr. Rahman was quoted as saying in the *Dhaka Tribune*.
Mr. Rahman has been meeting officials from the United States, China, and other countries ahead of Bangladesh’s February 12, 2025 election. Diplomats are also meeting leaders of other political parties, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
