Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh's prime minister after the February 12 elections, where his BNP party won 212 seats. This development offers India a chance to recalibrate ties with Dhaka amid past tensions. Indian officials have shown outreach by attending key events.
Following recent elections in Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was sworn in as prime minister. The BNP and its minor allies secured 212 out of 299 seats with 50 percent of the vote. Jamaat-e-Islami won 68 seats, while the National Citizen Party (NCP) gained only six. These elections occurred under Muhammad Yunus's interim government, which reformed the civil service, police, judiciary, and other institutions to ensure fair polls. Yunus's 'July Charter' of 84 reform proposals received 70 percent endorsement in a constitutional referendum, though voters rejected Yunus, the NCP, and Jamaat.
Tarique Rahman had returned from London and took over the BNP just six weeks before the February 12 election. During his mother Khaleda Zia's 2001-2006 rule in coalition with Jamaat-e-Islami, ties with India were strained, including violence against Hindu minorities after the 2001 elections and unheeded requests to act against insurgents. India invested in relations with Sheikh Hasina's government since 2009.
With the new administration, India must engage the changed Dhaka. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar attended Khaleda Zia's funeral in December, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla was present at Rahman's swearing-in. Rahman avoided anti-India rhetoric in his campaign, and his party's manifesto pledged to uphold religious freedom and communal harmony. Challenges persist: Dhaka's extradition request for Hasina, which New Delhi is unlikely to honor given assessments that the International Crimes Tribunal verdict was driven by vendetta. Jamaat-e-Islami's strengthened position, especially in border constituencies, underscores the need for security cooperation, recalling past insurgent activities under the BNP-Jamaat coalition. The Yunus government failed to prevent violence against Hindus; the new dispensation must reassure minorities.
The 4,000-kilometer border, shared history, culture, and economic cooperation form a basis for mutually beneficial ties. A reset requires prudence from both sides and magnanimity from India. Normalizing trade, opening visas, and resolving the Hasina impasse are essential. Jamaat's wins in western border districts link to refugee grievances and disrupted cross-border trade.
