Dinesh Trivedi proposes Bangladesh-India Parliamentary Friendship Group

India has proposed a Bangladesh-India Parliamentary Friendship Group to bring lawmakers from the two countries into regular contact and strengthen bilateral cooperation beyond party politics.

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi made the proposal Wednesday after separate meetings with Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed Bir Bikram and Deputy Speaker Barrister Kaiser Kamal.

Trivedi said parliamentarians from both countries could use the proposed group to exchange views regularly, regardless of their political affiliations. He said such engagement would strengthen people-to-people ties and help maintain continuity in relations between the two countries.

“Politics will continue in their own ways, but the parliament is an institution representing the people,” the Indian envoy said.

He said similar parliamentary engagement would also be pursued formally from the Indian side. Trivedi added that he had spoken with Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who conveyed his greetings to Bangladesh’s Speaker.

The Indian envoy said Bangladesh’s Speaker and Deputy Speaker would be invited to visit India’s Parliament, which he described as the country’s “Temple of Democracy.”

The meetings also covered parliamentary relations, strengthening democratic institutions and expanding cooperation between Bangladesh and India.

Trivedi highlighted the growing use of digital technology in India’s Parliament, saying lawmakers can access parliamentary documents, session agendas and previous speeches through smartphones following the digitisation of a large amount of parliamentary information.

Asked about the possibility of a visit to India by Bangladesh’s prime minister, Trivedi said the decision rests with the prime minister of Bangladesh.

He said positive results would come if both sides approach bilateral relations with the welfare of their people in mind.

“Talks are like a flowing river — it keeps going. It has no end,” Trivedi said, stressing that dialogue remains a continuous part of the democratic process.