NEW DELHI: BJP leader and former Union minister Dinesh Trivedi is poised to be appointed as India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh, with sources pointing to his “extensive experience” as a significant factor in the decision, according to PTI.
If confirmed, Trivedi, a West Bengal native, would represent a rare instance of a political appointee taking on such an ambassadorial role. This potential appointment follows the recent transition of Pranay Verma, who was appointed as India’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union after serving as High Commissioner in Dhaka since September 2022.
Reports indicate that New Delhi is considering the appointment of a political figure to this crucial diplomatic post in Dhaka as part of efforts to recalibrate bilateral relations following the establishment of a new government led by Bangladesh Nationalist Party chief Tarique Rahman in February. The India-Bangladesh relationship experienced a notable decline under the interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which took office after the Sheikh Hasina administration fell amidst student-led protests in August 2024.
Trivedi, 75, has held various significant positions, including Railway Minister and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare during the Congress-led UPA government, as a member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). He later served in the Rajya Sabha representing West Bengal and was also a Lok Sabha MP from Barrackpore. In February 2021, he left the TMC to join the BJP, which has been in power across India since May 2014.
Although there has been no official announcement regarding Trivedi’s appointment, Amit Malviya, head of the BJP’s IT cell and West Bengal co-incharge, congratulated him via social media, stating, “Congratulations to Shri Dinesh Trivedi, senior BJP leader, former Union Minister and Barrackpore MP, for being appointed as India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh.”
