NEW DELHI, Feb 12: Bangladesh’s 13th parliamentary election concluded on Thursday. The vote, the first since the 2024 Gen Z-led uprising ousted long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, saw over 127 million eligible voters choose among nearly 2,000 candidates for 299 seats. It coincided with a referendum on political reforms.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) maintained a cautious stance. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a weekly briefing on Thursday, said: “The elections are going on in Bangladesh. We should wait for the outcome of the elections to see what sort of mandate has come out, and thereafter, we will look at issues that are there.”
He reiterated India’s support for “free, fair, inclusive and credible elections in Bangladesh.”
India declined an invitation to send election observers, with Jaiswal confirming: “We did receive an invitation… but we have not sent our observers to Bangladesh to monitor the elections.”
Relations between India and Bangladesh have strained significantly since Hasina’s fall in August 2024. She fled to India, where she remains in exile, while her Awami League was barred from contesting. The interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus leaned toward Pakistan and China, adopting policies perceived as against India’s interests. Counter-terrorism cooperation, once seamless under Hasina, weakened as some radicals and terrorists were reportedly released.
India has consistently advocated for the swift restoration of democracy through credible elections. New Delhi has engaged the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman and seen as the frontrunner in pre-poll assessments, with both sides open to resetting ties based on the results.
The 4,096-km shared border—the longest with any neighbour—remains partly unfenced, facilitating illegal immigration, cattle smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and counterfeit currency. A stable, democratically elected government in Dhaka would enable stronger bilateral border management and reduce vulnerabilities.
India also fears cross-border threats, with reports of ISI-backed training of released elements under the interim regime. Restoring effective counter-terror cooperation is a priority.
Under Hasina, trade, energy cooperation, and power trade expanded significantly. Bangladesh is key to India’s Act East Policy. Instability in Bangladesh risks derailing these gains for India.
While India prefers a BNP-led outcome for easier engagement—given the party’s past coalitions and relatively pragmatic approach—officials note that even a Jamaat-e-Islami-influenced government would not collapse ties entirely. India has dealt with Jamaat before, though its current rivalry with BNP and perceived closeness to Pakistan complicate matters. Jamaat leaders have signaled that abandoning India entirely is unrealistic.
Under Yunus, bilateral dealings became difficult due to perceived Pakistani influence. A democratically elected government is expected to offer a more balanced partner.
As vote counting continues (with early trends showing BNP leading in several areas and results anticipated by Friday), New Delhi watches closely. Stability in Bangladesh remains vital for India’s security, economy, and regional influence. (Agencies)
