India’s New High Commissioner to Bangladesh to Present Credentials to President on Thursday

India’s newly appointed High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, is scheduled to present his credentials to President Mohammad Shahabuddin at Bangabhaban on Thursday, according to a senior source at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Diplomatic sources also confirmed that Trivedi met Chief of Protocol A.F.M. Zahid Ul Islam at his office on Saturday afternoon. During the meeting, the former Indian Railway Minister formally submitted copies of his Letter of Credence, a diplomatic requirement for assuming duties as a foreign envoy.

Sources from both Bangladesh and India said that after completing the formalities with the Chief of Protocol, Trivedi paid a courtesy call on Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam. The meeting took place at the state guest house Padma on Saturday.

The diplomatic process follows the standard protocol observed for newly appointed ambassadors and high commissioners. Earlier this year, Brent Christensen, who arrived in Bangladesh as the United States Ambassador in January, first submitted copies of his credentials to the Chief of Protocol before meeting Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and later presenting his credentials to the President.

In April, the Government of India appointed Dinesh Trivedi as its 16th High Commissioner to Bangladesh. His appointment is notable because it marks the first time India has sent a politician to Dhaka as High Commissioner in the history of bilateral diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries.

Trivedi arrived in Bangladesh on June 5, entering from the Indian state of West Bengal through a land border crossing to assume his new responsibilities in Dhaka.