Kolkata: Dinesh Trivedi, India's high commissioner-designate to Bangladesh, crossed the Petrapole-Benapole border on foot on Friday noon on his way to Dhaka to begin his diplomatic assignment. He is expected to present his credentials to the Bangladesh government next week to formally assume office.
Trivedi, a former Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MP on a Trinamool Congress ticket, also served as a Union railway minister. He resigned from the Rajya Sabha in 2021 and left Trinamool to join the BJP shortly after. The Centre selected him as a political appointee for the Dhaka post.
Accompanied by his wife, Trivedi crossed into the country around noon through the Petrapole-Benapole border check posts connecting Bengal's North 24 Parganas district to Jessore in Bangladesh. He was formally received at the border by Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Bangladesh Pawankumar Tulshidas Badhe and Deputy Chief of Protocol of the Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs Arif Mahmud.
Trivedi told the media at Petrapole that his job is to improve ties between the two nations and enhance cooperation through people-to-people contact, particularly in areas like education, technology, and health. He stated that his focus would be to resolve disputes and differences through increased interaction, thereby boosting economic development in the region. "All problems can be sorted out through dialogue," he said.
The relationship between Delhi and Dhaka had been in limbo for about two years after India provided asylum to former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, following student unrest against the Hasina government. Despite India's efforts to stabilize relations with the interim government of Muhammad Yunus, ties did not improve much. However, after Tarique Rahman took charge as Prime Minister in February, India has held multiple meetings with Bangladesh.
Although originally from Gujarat, Trivedi is well-acquainted with the customs and culture of Bangladesh. He is fluent in Bengali, having spent much of his time in Kolkata.
