Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of an “honourable” and “memorable” visit to India, High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi has revealed signalling New Delhi’s intent to keep the proposed high-level engagement on track despite fresh differences over former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s political activities from India.Trivedi, speaking at a business reception hosted by the High Commission of India in Dhaka on Tuesday, said that after meeting Rahman in Bangladesh, he had travelled directly to Delhi and met Modi.“He just mentioned one thing. We [Modi and Rahman] need to meet,” Trivedi said, conveying Modi’s message to the gathering of Indian and Bangladeshi business leaders.Trivedi said Modi wanted him to convey to the Bangladesh Prime Minister that India would accord him the reception he deserved when he visited the country.“You have the Prime Minister of India’s assurance that when the honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh visits India, he will have such an honourable reception as he deserves, as any such prime minister would deserve. And it would be a memorable visit,” Trivedi said at a business reception hosted by the Indian mission in Dhaka on Tuesday.His remarks came on the same day when the Ministry of External Affairs refused to be drawn into a fresh debate over Hasina’s August 5 press interaction in New Delhi, saying India’s position on the matter “needs no repetition”.Dhaka had recently said the episode had “vitiated” weeks of efforts to facilitate Rahman’s proposed India visit and had renewed its demand for Hasina’s extradition.Against this backdrop, Trivedi’s message was an apparent effort to separate the broader India-Bangladesh relationship from the contentious issues between the two sides and emphasise direct political engagement.“There are issues. There is no doubt about it,” Trivedi said, while stressing that differences were natural in any vibrant democracy.“These concerns can only be mitigated once you meet. And the most important thing as far as I am concerned is that we need to meet,” he said.Trivedi said India had been working closely with Bangladesh in recent weeks and “deeply understands” the concerns of the Bangladeshi people. “But this is a partnership of equals,” he said.Recalling Modi’s early outreach to Rahman after his electoral victory, Trivedi said the Indian Prime Minister was the first leader to congratulate him and had also invited him to India.Describing Rahman as a “people’s person”, Trivedi said both Modi and Rahman were “people’s prime ministers” and expressed confidence that a meeting between the two leaders could help address outstanding differences.The High Commissioner also urged the two countries to look beyond their differences and focus on shared development goals, particularly the aspirations of their young populations.“We don’t only share border. We share dreams. We share aspirations,” he said, adding that Bangladesh’s development goals and India’s ‘Viksit Bharat’ vision were broadly aligned.“I’m not telling that you forget the past, but keep the past and sort out the differences of the past. But move on. Don’t get stagnant,” Trivedi said.He identified “mutual and unconditional trust” as the foundation of a lasting relationship and said India and Bangladesh needed to rebuild confidence through engagement.Trivedi also placed the business community at the centre of the proposed reset, arguing that governments alone could not generate all employment and development opportunities.“It is always the private sector,” he said, noting that businesses had a direct stake in maintaining good relations with countries where they invest.Urging Indian and Bangladeshi business leaders to become part of the process, he said their engagement could help bridge the existing gap between the two countries.The reception was attended by Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Chinoy, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee, a visiting CII delegation and leading members of Bangladesh’s business community.Trivedi said he hoped the proposed engagement between Modi and Rahman would mark the beginning of a new phase in bilateral ties. “This would be a golden chapter in the history of relationship,” he said.