New Delhi, April 27: Former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Dinesh Trivedi, has been named the new High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh, according to an announcement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday. The 75-year-old leader is expected to assume his new role "shortly."
Trivedi, who has had a distinguished career in Indian politics, will succeed Pranay Verma, who is set to take on the role of India's Ambassador to the European Union in Brussels.
Trivedi's appointment comes at a time when India and Bangladesh are deepening their cooperation across various sectors. A former Railway Minister (2011-2012) and Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare (2009-2011) under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's cabinet, Trivedi served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 2009 to 2019, representing the Barrakpore constituency in West Bengal for the All India Trinamool Congress. He joined the BJP in 2021.
The appointment also aligns with the ongoing efforts to strengthen bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh. Just a few weeks ago, on April 13, both countries agreed to enhance exchanges between media delegations to further strengthen people-to-people ties. During his tenure, the former High Commissioner Pranay Verma had emphasized the importance of fostering cooperation in the media and broadcasting sectors. In a significant move, Verma proposed initiatives for training journalists, including a special course for women journalists from Bangladesh, to be organized under India's ITEC programme.
Additionally, discussions were held regarding cultural exchanges, with both nations agreeing to organize film screenings and festivals while exploring opportunities for collaboration in film production and technological support.
Further strengthening ties, on April 8, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri met with Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman in New Delhi. The two leaders discussed ways to enhance energy cooperation between the two nations, following Puri's meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. The discussions highlighted the robust level of engagement between India and Bangladesh on various fronts.
