Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s fourth consecutive win in the recently held national elections augurs well for the bilateral ties between New Delhi and Dhaka. Hasina’s return to power in Bangladesh will not only have positive implications for continuity of the already robust bilateral relationship between the two neighbours but also help the two nations to explore new avenues so as to take the ties to a much higher level. While there are challenges galore all around in the neighbouring and other regions, the return of a trustworthy ally in the immediate neighbourhood is definitely a welcome development for India.
With India tackling security challenges from both Pakistan and China, a friendly government in Dhaka will be of immense importance for New Delhi. The two neighbours will now be able to continue to carry forward the existing cooperation in addressing security challenges resulting from terrorism and other strategic issues in the region. “India’s most reliable ally in the region is back.” This was the quick reaction from a senior diplomat in the Ministry of External Affairs soon after the result of Bangladesh general election was announced. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s recent statement lent credence to this perception as well.
On Monday, after securing a record fifth term as Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina called India “a great friend” saying that the two neighbours have resolved many problems bilaterally. “India is a great friend of Bangladesh. They supported us in 1971 and also in 1975. They gave shelter to me and my sister and my other family members,” she remarked. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also quick in congratulating his Bangladeshi counterpart Hasina on her victory in what underlined the fact that New Delhi considers Dhaka as one of the most reliable allies. The PM said, “We are committed to further strengthening our enduring and people-centric partnership with Bangladesh”. PM Modi also congratulated the people of Bangladesh for the successful conduct of elections in what should also be seen as a blunt message for the US and Britain who were saying that the elections were not credible, free or fair.
It was also a message for the main opposition party—Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)—led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia who boycotted the polls. That India’s focus is on the welfare and development of people of Bangladesh is also the message that PM Modi’s statement conveyed to Hasina. Undeniably, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, the relationship between India and Bangladesh has grown stronger over the years. As the two countries share a long border, the economic and social stability of the two nations is crucial for each of them. What is also important is that the return of a close ally to the helm in neighbouring Bangladesh is a positive development for India as its military confronts both Pakistan and China along hostile and disputed borders. A peaceful border with Bangladesh will allow India to focus more on other fronts of security challenges. Undoubtedly, China will spare no effort to expand its footprints and influence in Bangladesh. Noticeably, Beijing has been making all possible efforts in the past to expand its presence in Bangladesh obviously with its well-known agenda to needle and encircle India.
However, Hasina has always shown sensitivity to India’s security concerns. India hopes that after the victory of the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina, Dhaka would continue to address New Delhi’s security concerns amidst Beijing’s sinister aggressive agenda. Apart from the Chinese agenda, India has always been concerned about the fact that insurgents from north eastern states often take shelter in Bangladesh via porous border routes amid rising volatility in the regions. With the Hasina dispensation at the helm in Dhaka once again, India could be assured that these elements would be dealt with strictly by her. Significantly, Hasina has made it clear that she would not allow Bangladesh’s soil to be used for any anti-India activities.
Dhaka is also a reliable strategic partner of New Delhi. The strategic ties will definitely get a fresh boost with Sheikh Hasina once again in power in Dhaka. Keen on expanding ties with Bangladesh under Hasina, India is taking notice of the fact that the country is set to become a trillion-dollar economy and a middle-income nation by 2041. Similarly, Bangladesh is also above average on the parameters of the Human Development Index. These are positive indicators that make Bangladesh a good neighbour of India..