Pranay Verma has controlled the situation with a cool head and a smile during challenging times in Bangladesh

POBNEWS24, Dhaka May 17, 2026 : A skilled diplomat, Pranay Verma. The outgoing High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh. He is preparing to return after completing his duties in Bangladesh. As part of this, he organized a farewell reception for journalists from the diplomatic beat in Dhaka at his residence on Saturday afternoon.
Pranay Verma will take charge as India’s ambassador to Belgium. During his tenure in Bangladesh, relations with India have been turbulent. He served under Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, Muhammad Yunus’s interim government and Tarique Rahman’s BNP government. Especially the 2024 uprising led by students was a difficult time.
Deterioration of Bangladesh-India relations and public discontent:
Border killings, Teesta water sharing, transit and Bangladesh’s internal discontent with India made his tenure difficult. BNP leaders also raised these issues directly with him in various meetings. Summoned to Bangladesh Foreign Ministry: He was summoned to Bangladesh Foreign Ministry in December 2024 and January 2025. He was summoned after the attack on Bangladesh Mission in Agartala. He also had to explain about the barbed wire fence and tension on the border. Border tension and security issues such as BSF firing, deaths on the border, illegal fence construction, etc. created pressure on the relations between the two countries. He had to repeatedly explain his position diplomatically on these issues. Anti-India protests and security risks:
Protests, threats and disruptions in visa operations around the Indian Visa Center and High Commission in Bangladesh were also major challenges of his time. In some cases, thousands of passports were returned. Minority issues and diplomatic pressure:
Protests and demonstrations took place in India over allegations of minority persecution in Bangladesh, which increased pressure on the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Even in this situation, he had to try to keep the relationship stable.
Mr. Verma has a lesson to learn from how a diplomat can handle challenging times with a cool head and a smile. He has not made any controversial comments during his tenure. That does not mean that he has not made any comments; it is not that he has remained completely silent like furniture. He has repeatedly spoken about his government and building people-centric relations. He has contributed a lot to repairing Bangladesh-India relations. During this time, his wife Manu Verma has also been a cheerful and wonderful companion.
Journalists have always wished Prannoy Verma and his wife Manu Verma all the best.