The fifth round of the consular dialogue between Bangladesh and India has been postponed. The talks were being prepared for November in Dhaka, but they will no longer take place as scheduled, according to a report by Business Standard.

Preparatory meeting held, then postponement

Sources indicate that an inter-ministerial meeting was held on 3 November to prepare for the dialogue. Following that meeting, the decision was made to postpone the talks. The reasons behind the postponement have not been immediately disclosed. New Age newspaper has also confirmed the postponement in a separate report.

Diplomatic activity continues

Meanwhile, the US and Indian envoys met in Dhaka, according to another New Age report. The report of this meeting came just hours after the news of the postponed consular dialogue was published. No details have been released regarding the topics discussed during the meeting.

Background

The regular consular dialogue between Bangladesh and India is a key component of the bilateral relationship. The talks typically cover issues such as visas, passports, extradition, and other consular matters affecting citizens of both countries. The postponement has sparked fresh discussions about the current state of bilateral ties, though neither government has issued an official statement on the matter.

Next steps

No new date has been announced for the resumption of the consular dialogue. It is expected that a fresh schedule will be finalised through discussions between the foreign ministries of the two countries.