Bangladesh’s outreach to India ‘a good beginning’ for easing strained ties

Bangladesh has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend Tarique Rahman’s swearing-in as the country’s next leader, a gesture analysts say could help steady relations after months of strain between the neighbours. Rahman’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secured victory in last week’s national polls, paving the way for the long-time opposition leader to take office after years on the political sidelines. Modi will not attend Tuesday’s ceremony because of prior commitments, but India will be represented by Om Birla, the speaker of the lower house of parliament, signalling that New Delhi is keen to keep channels open. Muhammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government, has invited leaders and senior officials from 13 countries, including India, China, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Bhutan, according to local media. In a social media post on Friday, Modi said he had spoken to Rahman and “conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh”. He added: “As two close neighbours with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, I reaffirmed India’s continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples.” The outreach comes months after former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was toppled by student-led protests in August 2024 and sought refuge in India, an episode that has tested ties between Dhaka and Delhi. For many observers, the call and the invitation amount to an early signal that both sides want to turn the page. “I think it is a good beginning. The earlier they get over the past, the better it is for the neighbours. I am extremely upbeat,” said Sreeradha Datta, professor of international relations at O.P. Jindal Global University in India’s Haryana. While the BNP has been perceived previously as friendly towards India’s arch-rival Pakistan compared with Bangladesh’s last government under Hasina’s Awami League, analysts say Rahman has indicated that his approach will be centrist in diplomacy. Rahman told a media briefing after the election that Bangladesh’s foreign policy would prioritise the country’s interests. “The interests of Bangladesh and its people will determine our foreign policy,” he said in response to a question on ties with India. Senior BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said the party would follow a policy of multilateralism in diplomacy. Rahman’s “Bangladesh First” policy would aim to balance ties with neighbouring countries including India, China and Pakistan, officials say. Observers note that India’s participation will be closely analysed at a sensitive juncture for bilateral relations as it would go a long way towards stabilising South Asia, and Dhaka appears to be willing to shed the recent past of tenuous ties with Delhi. “It is definitely a step in the right direction,” said Priyajit Debsarkar, a London-based political analyst. While there was work to be done before a “big reset” could be achieved, Dhaka’s gesture in inviting Modi would help make headway, Debsarkar said. One crucial aspect that the potential reset will face is how Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami, which will be the largest opposition party with the Awami League barred from the polls, reacts to potential moves by the new government in restoring normality with India, according to Debsarkar. Another potential hurdle could be Dhaka’s previous demands for Delhi to extradite Hasina, who in November was sentenced to death in absentia by a Bangladeshi tribunal for crimes against humanity linked to the crackdown on protesters. Debsarkar said officials from Bangladesh’s incoming government had indicated they would like to work towards building people-to-people relations, cultural exchanges, education and medical help from India. Such engagement, he noted, would be crucial for the future of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation – an international organisation which aims to promote regional economic cooperation among countries bordering the Bay of Bengal. Challenges ahead The incoming administration in Dhaka will inherit an economy battered by inflation, a banking sector riddled with non-performing loans and corruption ranked as among the worst in the world. For much of the past 15 years, the BNP languished in opposition, boycotting several elections and accusing Hasina’s government of systematic vote rigging and political repression. Rahman himself spent 17 years in self-imposed exile after Hasina’s government pursued multiple corruption and criminal cases against him – charges which he has denied. Moody’s Ratings said in a report last Friday that the election outcome could help ease political uncertainty in the country, but underscored that sporadic protests and localised lapses in law and order continued to weigh on economic activity, even if large-scale disruptions had largely subsided. “Investment has remained subdued as businesses delayed decisions amid political volatility and uncertainty over the policy direction of the incoming government,” it said. India too faces challenges in a fraught global environment, where it has been increasingly trying to diversify its trade beyond reliance on the United States. Achieving a stable neighbourhood could therefore go a long way, analysts say, and Dhaka and Delhi’s willingness to engage is encouraging. “Both sides can share their concerns. Unless they have a conversation, how will you articulate them?” Dhatta said.

Bangladesh’s outreach to India ‘a good beginning’ for easing strained ties

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Dhaka’s invitation to attend the swearing-in and Modi’s message of support show both sides are ready to turn the page, analysts say

Dhaka’s invitation to attend the swearing-in and Modi’s message of support show both sides are ready to turn the page, analysts say