Former Union Minister Dinesh Trivedi arrived in Bangladesh on Friday morning via the Benapole-Petrapole land border to formally assume charge as India's new High Commissioner in Dhaka. He was received at the border checkpoint by Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe.
Trivedi succeeds career diplomat Pranay Verma, who has completed his tenure in Bangladesh and has been reassigned as India's Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union. His appointment marks a notable departure from the traditional practice of posting Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officers to neighbouring countries, with New Delhi opting instead for a senior political leader for this key diplomatic assignment.
A recipient of the 2016-17 Outstanding Parliamentarian Award, Trivedi has chaired several key parliamentary bodies, most notably the Indo-European Union Parliamentary Forum. Politically, he transitioned to the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2021 following his departure from the All India Trinamool Congress.
Before departing for Dhaka, he also visited Netaji Bhavan in Kolkata, highlighting the historical and emotional foundations of India-Bangladesh relations and stressing strong people-to-people ties between the two nations.
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A veteran politician, Trivedi has previously served as Union Minister for Railways and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, and has represented West Bengal in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2021.
Before taking charge in Dhaka, Trivedi visited Kolkata's historic Netaji Bhavan to underscore the importance of India-Bangladesh relations. Speaking on their "shared democratic aspirations", Trivedi remarked that the bond between the two nations transcends geographic boundaries and is built on enduring grassroots connections.
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