[🇧🇩] Indo-Bangla Relation: India's Regional Ambition, Geopolitical Reality, and Strategic Options For Bangladesh

[Saif]

Bangladesh-India ties under further strain

Several hundreds of Hindu protesters on Tuesday demonstrated before the Bangladesh missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, and Agartala along with other places in India hours after the Bangladesh foreign ministry in the morning summoned the Indian high commissioner...

www.newagebd.net

Bangladesh-India ties under further strain
Protests flare in India after Indian envoy summoned
Staff Correspondent 23 December, 2025, 16:10

Security personnel try to stop Vishva Hindu Parishad activists along with others during a protest march near the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday. | AFP Photo

Several hundreds of Hindu protesters on Tuesday demonstrated before the Bangladesh missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, and Agartala along with other places in India hours after the Bangladesh foreign ministry in the morning summoned the Indian high commissioner amid escalating tension in bilateral relations over a series of recent incidents.

Holding saffron flags and shouting slogans against the lynching of a Hindu youth in Bangladesh, hundreds of supporters of the Vishva Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal broke barricades and clashed with police near the fortified Bangladesh high commission in Delhi on Tuesday, Indian newspaper The Hindu reported in the afternoon.

Protesters forced several barricades down as police struggled to contain the surge protesting at the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh, according to the reports available online.

The protesters raised slogans and held banners against the Bangladesh government. ‘Hindu rakt ki ek ek boond ka hisaab chahiye (You must be held accountable for each drop of blood of a Hindu),’ a placard read as reported by the local media.

Meanwhile, foreign secretary Asad Alam Siam conveyed Bangladesh’s grave concern to India summoning the Indian envoy, Pranay Verma, at the ministry at around 10:00am over incidents outside the Bangladesh high commission and diplomatic residences in New Delhi on December 20.

Concerns were also expressed over the acts of vandalism at the Bangladesh Visa Centre in Siliguri on 22 December, the ministry officials confirmed.

Amid growing tensions between Dhaka and Delhi, India on Tuesday, too, summoned Bangladesh high commissioner Riaz Hamidullah, which the United News of Bangladesh reported in the evening.

This is the second time the envoys to India and Bangladesh were summoned amid the tensions between the two countries following a series of incidents in the two neighbouring countries.

‘The foreign affairs ministry summoned the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma today to convey the Bangladesh government’s grave concern to the Government of India over the regrettable incidents outside the perimeter of the Bangladesh High Commission and residence in New Delhi on December 20 and the acts of vandalism at the Bangladesh Visa Centre in Siliguri on December 22 by different extremist elements,’ said foreign ministry spokesperson and public diplomacy wing director general SM Mahbubul Alam at a media briefing at the ministry, reading out a written statement.

He said that the visa services at Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi, Assistant high commission in Agartala and the visa centre in Siliguri of West Bengal remained suspended over security concerns.

‘Visa services would resume soon after the situation becomes normal,’ the official added, responding to a question.

The foreign ministry statement said that Bangladesh condemned such acts of premeditated violence or intimidation against diplomatic establishments, which not only endangered the safety of diplomatic personnel but also undermined the principles of mutual respect and values of peace and tolerance.

The government of Bangladesh called upon the government of India to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents, to take all necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such acts and to ensure safety and security of Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions and related facilities in India.

Bangladesh expects India to immediately take appropriate steps in accordance with its international and diplomatic obligations to safeguard the dignity and security of diplomatic personnel and establishments, according to the statement.

A sea of banners and placards bobbed in the air, reading denunciatory messages against the Bangladesh government, The Hindu reported from New Delhi.

The area had been secured with three layers of barricading and more force from the police and paramilitary forces, the report mentioned.

On December 18, Dipu Chandra Das, a 25-year-old garment factory worker, was lynched by a mob and his body was set afire over alleged blasphemy in Mymensingh.

Protesters in Dhaka and some other divisions also held anti-India protests near Indian missions recently following the death of Inquilab Mancha convener Sharif Osman Hadi, a critic of the ‘Indian hegemony’, from bullet injuries.

Massive protests were also held in Jammu and Kashmir to protest the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, NDTV reported.

Hundreds of protesters tried to march to the Bangladesh deputy high commission office in Kolkata, shouting slogans against alleged violence on minority Hindus in the neighbouring country.

The protest march titled ‘Hindu Hunkar Padayatra’ was organised under the banner of ‘Bangiya Hindu Jagaran’. The march started from Sealdah and was proceeding towards the Bangladesh deputy high commission office when it was stopped by the police in the Beckbagan area of Kolkata.

A huge police force was deployed near the Bangladesh deputy high commission office.

The protesters raised slogans ‘Hindu Hindu Bhai Bhai’, ‘safety for Hindus in Bangladesh’ and over the lynching of the Hindu youth in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh assistant high commission in Tripura capital Agartala has suspended all visa and consular services since Tuesday for an indefinite period due to ‘unavoidable circumstances’.

A series of incidents in the recent time dampened the bilateral relations between the two nations already strained since the interim government of Professor Muhammad Yunus took over following the July uprising that forced the fall of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024.

Hasina fled to India on the day and has been staying there since.

The Indian Visa Application Centre in Bangladesh capital Dhaka was closed for hours from 2:00pm on December 17 amid a march towards the Indian high commission, which the police intercepted on its way to the high commission.

The Indian assistant high commission in Chattogram has also suspended its visa services for an indefinite period since Sunday, citing security concerns.

Around 20–25 activists held demonstrations near the Bangladesh mission in Delhi on December 20, chanting anti-Bangladesh slogans.

Bangladesh foreign adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Sunday said that ‘normal security’ was not maintained at the Bangladesh mission in India while the high commissioner, who was staying there with his family, felt threatened.

Rejecting India’s press statement on Saturday’s demonstration before the Bangladesh high commission in New Delhi, he said that Bangladesh would rely on the host country for the security and expected that the incident in Delhi would not be repeated in the future.

About the lynching of the youth in Mymensingh, the Bangladesh foreign adviser said that the murder of an individual was not an issue of minority and it might happen anywhere.

The victim was a Bangladeshi citizen and the important thing was that prompt actions were under way in the case, he mentioned.

The government of Bangladesh has promptly apprehended the suspects in this incident, the foreign ministry release said.

In early December, 2024, a group of Indian protesters launched an attack on the Bangladesh mission in Tripura capital Agartala forcing authorities to shut it temporarily.​

 

[Afhan]

@Krishna with Flute @Cryptonian

 

[Saif]

India must strengthen relations with all sides in Bangladesh

The prospect of state-to-state conflict remains remote, but strained relations could manifest in destabilising ways short of war, including insurgent activity, the report said.

en.prothomalo.com

India must strengthen relations with all sides in Bangladesh

Diplomatic Correspondent Dhaka
Updated: 24 Dec 2025, 18: 11

For years, India has believed that maintaining constructive relations with Bangladesh depends on the Awami League being in power. Such a stance has had negative consequences for both Bangladesh’s domestic politics and long-term bilateral relations.

If the BNP forms the next government, both sides should seize the opportunity to bring the relationship to a stable footing. However, New Delhi should go a step further and strengthen relations with all actors across Bangladesh’s political landscape.

The Brussels-based non-profit research organisation International Crisis Group (ICG) made this observation in its analytical report on Bangladesh–India relations. The 53-page report, titled After the “Golden Era”: Getting Bangladesh-India Ties Back on Track” was published on the ICG website on Tuesday.


Highlighting the historical dimensions of Bangladesh–India relations, the report outlines what is new in the current context, why it matters, and what should be done in the future.

ICG said that the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government has led to a deterioration in relations between Dhaka and New Delhi.

However, Bangladesh’s upcoming election has created an opportunity to recalibrate the relationship.

The report noted that Bangladeshi political parties should refrain from using anti-India sentiment as a tool to win votes in elections.

After the election, New Delhi should extend cooperation to the new government, while the new government in Dhaka, in return, should show due consideration for India’s security concerns.

ICG said New Delhi’s support for Sheikh Hasina fanned longstanding anti-India feeling in Bangladesh, contributing to her ouster. Poorer relations could spell violence, further destabilisation of the border and hindered economic development.

So, Bangladeshi political parties should refrain from stoking anti-India sentiment, while New Delhi should avoid further inflaming tensions and undermining potential partners in Bangladesh.

According to the report, much of New Delhi’s anger is directed at Yunus personally. Many in official circles already viewed him with suspicion because of his longstanding links to the West and perceived hostility to India. Accordingly, New Delhi initially rebuffed repeated requests from Dhaka for a meeting between Yunus and Modi. Citing security reasons, India massively scaled back the issuance of visas to Bangladeshis, rising resentment in Bangladesh. New Delhi also suspended cross-border train connections and stepped up security along the border, causing disruption to other transport services, hindering trade and people-to-people ties.

According to the report, there have been divisions in Indian policy circles over how to respond to the end of the Hasina era. Many in the policy establishment would have preferred to normalise ties and engage more closely with the interim government. Citing a former senior Indian diplomat, the IGC report said some top officials close to the Indian government defend their response, arguing that New Delhi needed to show strength.

Professor Yunus’s visit to China by breaking the tradition has also become a source of concern for Delhi. At the same time, the Indian media’s persistent misinformation has widened the distance between the two countries.

The August 2024 ouster of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was a major setback for India, which had been her staunchest ally during her fifteen-year rule. New Delhi’s support had enabled her party, the Awami League, to prevail in three controversial elections. But aligning so closely with an increasingly unpopular ruler amplified anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh and left India poorly positioned when a mass uprising forced Hasina from power. The two countries have since struggled to repair ties, instead swapping rhetorical barbs, imposing trade restrictions and engaging in confrontations along their shared border.

The report said New Delhi is unlikely to normalise relations with Dhaka’s interim government, but Bangladesh’s national elections scheduled for 12 February 2026 offer the chance for a reset.

To make the most of the opportunity, New Delhi should prepare to make goodwill gestures in the election aftermath and step up engagement with a wide range of political stakeholders, including those it disagrees with; for their part, political parties in Bangladesh should avoid anti-India rhetoric during the campaign.

Though India’s support was crucial for securing Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971, and the countries share deep historical and cultural ties, bilateral relations have often been strained by border disputes, security threats, perceived Indian hegemony and communal tensions. Sheikh Hasina’s victory in the December 2008 elections paved the way for what New Delhi has described as shonali adhyay, or a “golden era”, in the relationship.

The two sides demarcated land and maritime borders and accelerated economic integration, including through reductions in tariffs, transshipment agreements and infrastructure development.

Bangladeshis also began visiting India in large numbers for tourism and medical treatment.

But there was a widespread sense in Bangladesh that India was getting favourable political, security and business deals in exchange for propping up Hasina’s autocratic regime. India’s decision to give Hasina refuge after she fled the country in August 2024, despite Bangladesh’s insistence she face justice, only added to the ill feeling.

Since Hasina’s departure, New Delhi and Dhaka have settled into a pattern of recrimination. Both insist they have reached out to mend ties but have been rebuffed; each has accused the other of provocations; at times, the two have engaged in border standoffs and what appears to be tit-for-tat retaliation on trade. The tension has entrenched negative perceptions without benefiting either side.

The report said, still smarting from Hasina’s downfall, India is now unlikely to normalise relations with the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus; policymakers are instead waiting for the outcome of the Bangladeshi elections.

With Hasina’s Awami League barred from contesting the polls, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is considered the front runner. Historically, India and the BNP have had a troubled relationship. But in Bangladesh’s much-changed political landscape, the party is likely the best option for safeguarding New Delhi’s interests.

Domestic politics in both countries could undermine efforts to rebuild ties, however. Fanning anti-India sentiment is a common strategy for Bangladeshi political parties. In India, the Hindu nationalism of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including its muscular foreign policy and focus on illegal immigration, could increase Bangladeshi resentment of New Delhi.

Elections in the Indian border states of Assam and West Bengal in March-April 2026 are potential flashpoints, as is the looming expiration of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty.

While most political leaders in both countries appear to recognise that better ties would be beneficial, there is also a risk that they could settle into a pattern of acrimony and distrust. The prospect of state-to-state conflict remains remote, but strained relations could manifest in destabilising ways short of war, including violent protests, communal attacks, border killings and insurgent activity.

Underscoring the risks, anti-India violence erupted in Bangladesh in mid-December following the killing of a student leader whose group criticised India and supported the Awami League ban.

For many years, India has viewed constructive relations with Bangladesh as dependent on the Awami League being in power, to the detriment of both Bangladeshi politics and long-term cross-border ties.

If the BNP indeed forms the next government, both sides should grasp the opportunity to get relations back on to a stable footing.

New Delhi should seek to go further, however, by strengthening ties across the Bangladeshi political spectrum – not only with the post-election administration, but with other parties as well – and further develop people-to-people links and economic connections to help insulate bilateral relations from political shifts.

The report said while India will logically put its own economic and security interests first, it should also ensure that its initiatives are mutually beneficial and consider domestic sensitivities in Bangladesh.

It should begin planning a charm offensive of good-will gestures and new policies that it could present to the incoming government, starting with the reversal of visa restrictions imposed in August 2024.

Bangladeshi political parties, meanwhile, should resist the temptation to use anti-Indian sentiment to win votes in the forthcoming elections.

Such electoral tactics would reinforce the widely held belief in India that the major parties contesting the polls are inimical to its interests, particularly on security – a view informed by historical precedent.

The incoming government should instead reciprocate New Delhi’s overtures, adopt a balanced foreign policy, keep a lid on insurgency and extremism, and do more to curb cross-border smuggling and illegal migration.

Assuaging Indian security concerns will be paramount for putting the relationship on the right track, and making it a source of stability, in the years ahead, the ICG said.​

 

[Saif]

Strain on relations with India should ease

THE relations between Bangladesh and India stand further strained over a string of incidents. Such a proposition suggests that the relations have already been strained. It began after the overthrow of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024 amidst a mass uprising and the assumption of...

www.newagebd.net

Strain on relations with India should ease

THE relations between Bangladesh and India stand further strained over a string of incidents. Such a proposition suggests that the relations have already been strained. It began after the overthrow of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024 amidst a mass uprising and the assumption of office by the interim government three days later. The relations had, in fact, already been strained over a series of incidents that India has for long left unsettled, causing inconveniences to Bangladesh. People in Bangladesh have enough reasons for misgivings against India, giving rise to the strained bilateral relations. Delhi had extended its support to the Awami League, which held three tainted elections and governed Bangladesh in an authoritarian manner. Delhi hosted the fallen prime minister Sheikh Hasina when she fled to India in early August 2024. Moreover, India pushed in a few thousand people, including Indians and some Rohingyas registered as refugees with UN authorities in India, into Bangladesh through various border points. Indian border forces tried to erect pillars and fences on no man’s land in contravention of border protocols. Individuals, quarters and media houses in India ran frenzied rumours about the political situation that emerged in Bangladesh in the early days of the interim government, a period when law and order declined.

All this has added to the deterioration of relations, alongside certain other issues such as India’s failure to address border killings and to sign agreements on cross-border rivers that New Delhi has left unresolved for ages, curdling the bilateral relations and creating misgivings about India among Bangladeshis. India’s attitude towards Bangladesh has continued to strain the relations by the day. Strained relations between two neighbouring countries, more so when they are immediate neighbours, are good for neither of them. It is true that there is no dearth of anti-India rhetoric in Bangladesh and anti-Bangladesh rhetoric in India and there is no shortage of such individuals, quarters and sections of the media fanning such campaigns. This is evident in the recent developments as it has always been evident in earlier episodes, especially since the early days of the interim government of Bangladesh. Thoughtful sections of people in Bangladesh, therefore, believe that the relations, which had already been strained enough, should no longer decline. The bilateral relations should, rather, improve in the interests of both the countries and their people. The willingness, especially on part of Bangladesh, is there as the adviser on finance to the chief adviser to the government of Bangladesh said in Dhaka on December 23, while approving the purchase of rice from India, that trade should remain unaffected as trade should follow dynamics different from those of politics.

Whilst Dhaka should try to ease the strain on the bilateral relations, it is New Delhi that should take the greater initiative to normalise the relations in the interests of both the countries.​

 

[Bilal9]

This is probably the most sensible narrative coming out form India - relatively speaking.