B.Mirror Desk : In the six months of the government’s tenure, one of the most important tests for Bangladesh’s foreign policy has been its relationship with neighboring India. In the changing global reality, Bangladesh’s national interests, economic security, regional connectivity, and diplomatic balance—all are related to India. As a result, it is necessary to take this relationship forward by prioritizing reality and national interests over emotions or political positions. Now is the time for Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to make that difficult but important decision.
The BNP government under his leadership is talking about moving forward with a new perspective and thinking in running the country. In the current world system, no country can survive or move forward alone. Especially for a geographically and economically important country like Bangladesh, a balanced foreign policy is essential. The historical foundation of Bangladesh’s foreign policy—’friendship with all, hostility with none’. This has been coupled with the ‘Bangladesh First’ policy. That is, the interests of the people of Bangladesh must be the first consideration in relations with any country. Bangladesh must take forward the relationship that will play a positive role in the country’s economy, security, trade, energy, communication and overall development.
The most realistic truth in foreign policy is that neighbors cannot be changed. Friendly relations with neighbors ensure peace and stability on the border, as well as pave the way for trade, communication and economic cooperation. In the case of Bangladesh, the importance of relations with India is different from that of many other countries. It is not realistic to conduct Bangladesh’s foreign policy by ignoring India due to the long border, common rivers, trade, energy, communication, security and people-to-people contact between the two countries.
India’s cooperation in the great liberation war of 1971 is an important chapter in the history of Bangladesh. After independence, the relations between the two countries have sometimes warmed up, and sometimes distance has been created for various reasons. Especially after the political changes of 1975, martyred President Ziaur Rahman played an important role in overcoming the coldness that had developed between the two countries.
After assuming office as President on April 21, 1977, Ziaur Rahman visited India on December 21 of the same year at the invitation of the then Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai. There were differences of opinion within his own government about his visit to India. But he gave more importance to national interests than political calculations. The agreement reached on the sharing of Ganges water in the wake of that visit is considered an important diplomatic achievement in terms of Bangladesh’s water interests.
Another feature of Ziaur Rahman’s foreign policy was the development of multidimensional relations. Strengthening relations with Japan and China, increasing communication with Middle Eastern countries, and creating new opportunities for manpower exports – behind all this were Bangladesh’s economic interests. He also took a pragmatic stance in water distribution and trade cooperation with India. That is, not closeness to any one country, but rather building relations with different countries based on national interests was one of the features of his diplomatic philosophy.
A similar pragmatic approach is seen in Begum Khaleda Zia’s foreign policy. After forming the government in 1991, she visited India immediately after her visit to the United States. She also visited India in 2006. The most significant was her visit to India as the leader of the opposition in 2012. During the seven-day visit, he met with important political leaders of India and received state honors and respect from the country.
At that time, a section of the BNP-led alliance partners and many within the party objected to the visit to India. But Begum Khaleda Zia made the visit by prioritizing her own considerations rather than political pressure. She clearly stated that BNP does not engage in anti-India politics. She still understood the need to maintain relations with neighboring countries in the national interest.
As the successor to the pragmatic diplomatic style of martyred President Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman now faces a similar important test. The practical implementation of the ‘Bangladesh First’ policy announced by his government is most needed in a place where there is a difference between emotions, political pressure and national interests.
After the political changes of 2024, various inconsistencies emerged in Bangladesh’s foreign policy during the interim government. There were also allegations that the government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus gave more importance to its own acceptance in the international arena and personal global image than the interests of the country. Although the expectation that ‘the world will come to us’ was said, in reality, Bangladesh’s diplomatic space has narrowed in many areas.
Bangladesh has not gained any visible benefit from the deterioration of relations with India in particular. Rather, it has had a negative impact on trade, visas, borders, communication and people-to-people exchanges. The anti-India statements of important figures in the then government at various times have also increased the discomfort between the two countries. Although the cancellation of the ‘unequal agreement’ with India was announced, in reality no major agreement was canceled. Similarly, although there was discussion about canceling the Adani power agreement, it did not materialize in the end.
Dr. Yunus’ comments on the ‘Seven Sisters’ of northeastern India during his visit to China also created new controversy between the two countries. When a state’s head of government’s statement is linked to the security and sovereignty of a neighboring country, it is natural for him to have a diplomatic reaction. After such statements, Bangladesh-India relations become even more uncomfortable.
In the meantime, India has imposed restrictions on the use of certain ports for Bangladeshi products. This has caused losses to Bangladeshi exporters. Visa operations have also been practically limited for a long time. The suffering of Bangladeshis traveling to India for medical, educational and business purposes has increased. Tensions have arisen at various times on the border. This deterioration in relations between the two countries has not created any lasting benefits for the economy of Bangladesh or the common people.
The strained relations between the two countries have even had an impact on the sports arena. The uncertainty surrounding Bangladesh’s participation in major international events like the Cricket World Cup was not positive for the country’s sports image. Most importantly, the deterioration of a long-standing neighborly relationship has also raised questions about Bangladesh’s international image.
However, there have been some important indications of a change in the situation in recent times. After the death of Begum Khaleda Zia, Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar came to Bangladesh to express his condolences and condolences. After Tarique Rahman was elected Prime Minister, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him and expressed his hope to further advance the relations between the two countries. The presence of Indian Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla at the swearing-in ceremony of the new government in Bangladesh was also significant.
Even then, the Indian Prime Minister has congratulated the Bangladeshi Prime Minister on various occasions and invited him to visit India. At the same time, India also expressed its interest in normalizing relations with Bangladesh. This is also an opportunity for Bangladesh to build new trust between the two countries.
The Indian side’s initiative to appoint an experienced politician like Dinesh Trivedi as the High Commissioner to Bangladesh and to resume visa procedures indicates normalization of relations. India has expressed its interest in standing by Bangladesh during the energy crisis. There have also been discussions on increasing gas and fuel supplies. When the country’s market faced a shortage of green chilies, the market situation has become somewhat normalized as imports from India opened up. Although these are small incidents, they illustrate the real picture of the mutual dependence of the two countries.
For Bangladesh, the importance of relations with India is not only political or diplomatic; The country’s economy is directly linked to it. Various industries in the garment and manufacturing sectors of Bangladesh require various types of raw materials and materials, including cotton, yarn, fabrics, chemicals, dyes, machinery, and parts. Due to India’s geographical proximity, these products can be brought quickly and at a relatively low cost. If there is a major disruption in the supply system, the transportation costs of bringing products from China or a distant market as an alternative will increase, take more time, and industrial enterprises will have to keep more stocks.
This will ultimately affect production costs and export competitiveness. A major advantage of Bangladesh’s industry is its geographical location. It has access to the Indian market as well as the markets of Nepal, Bhutan, and the northeastern region of India through roads, railways, waterways, and border trade. India’s cooperation in regional connectivity and transit systems is important for Bangladesh. If relations deteriorate, these possibilities may also be affected.
Water distribution, energy, border management, trade, transit, security—each area involves mutual interests of the two countries. Just as India is important to Bangladesh, Bangladesh is also strategically important to India. Therefore, the relationship is not one of one-sided dependence; rather, there is an opportunity to manage it on the basis of mutual interests.
The same reality applies to security. Information exchange and cooperation between the two countries are important in border management, smuggling, human trafficking, cross-border crime, terrorism and militancy. If this cooperation is weak, both countries can be at risk.
Of course, this does not mean that Bangladesh has to agree with India on everything. Bangladesh has to take a firm stand on border killings, fair share of water, trade discrimination, restrictions on commodity markets or any unequal agreements. It is possible to maintain friendly relations without compromising on national interests. Rather, this is where the real success of diplomacy lies—friendship will remain, but national interests will also be protected.
The question before Bangladesh is not whether to choose India or any other power. The question is how to ensure Bangladesh’s interests at the highest level by maintaining balanced relations with all partners including India, China, the United States, Japan, Europe, the Middle East. That is the real meaning of the ‘Bangladesh First’ policy.
Against this reality, if someone from within the country wants to push the government towards an excessively anti-India stance, then the Prime Minister must be careful. There may be disagreements with a country on one or more issues. But closing the door to all kinds of discussions and cooperation because of one issue cannot be a prudent diplomacy.
The risk of making anti-India sentiment a tool for political popularity is also not small. An excessively confrontational stance can increase political divisions, create uncertainty among businessmen and investors, and put pressure on the economy. At the same time, there will also be a risk of unnecessarily pushing Bangladesh towards one side in the competition of regional powers.
BNP introduces itself as a liberal and democratic political party. Therefore, the foreign policy of the party-led government should also reflect realism, balance and national interests. The government’s diplomatic success should be judged not by its anti-India stance, but by its ability to achieve Bangladesh’s interests.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman now has an important opportunity. If he wants, he can take forward the pragmatic foreign policy of Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda Zia in a more modern and timely manner. In addition to normalizing relations with India, it is possible to take a firm stand on every issue related to the country’s interests. Bangladesh’s demands on important issues including water shares, borders, trade, energy, and communications must be raised at the negotiating table.
There is no lasting value in diplomacy in arrogance or stubbornness. The interests of the state are the last word there. Therefore, the answer to the question of whether Tarique Rahman should visit India or not, accepting the invitation of the Indian Prime Minister, should not be determined by political emotions, but in the light of Bangladesh’s long-term national interests.
The people of Bangladesh want a foreign policy where there is no blind loyalty to any country, nor is there any unnecessary hostility. Where there will be friendship, but self-respect will remain intact; there will be cooperation, but national interests will not be sacrificed. The biggest test of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s ‘Bangladesh First’ policy is here.
The expectations of the people of the country – he will not succumb to pressure or emotions from any party. Rather, he will take decisions based on his own considerations, keeping in mind the long-term interests of the state, economic realities and the welfare of the people. Ultimately, Bangladesh’s interests will have to be presented most strongly at the negotiating table. And that decision will be the true reflection of ‘Bangladesh First’ diplomacy.
