India-Bangladesh ties have been maintained despite political changes, can’t be reduced to ‘single issue’, says Indian envoy

India-Bangladesh ties remain strong despite political changes, with focus on trade, energy, and counter-terrorism efforts.

India and Bangladesh have maintained their ties despite “turbulent changes” and changes in the “political wind”  in the country, said India’s High Commissioner to Dhaka, referring to the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5 and the violence that followed.

In his first such major speech to a public audience since the interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus took over, the envoy said that bilateral projects on transport and energy, including this week’s inauguration of a power supply line from Nepal to Bangladesh via India, as well as the continuation of trade in the past few months demonstrated how inter-linked the two countries are, and that ties cannot be reduced “to a single issue”.

The comments by High Commissioner Pranay Verma came on a day Mr. Yunus said in an address to the nation to mark 100 days in government that he would ask India to “send back” Ms. Hasina, who has been living there, a demand that could become a sore point between Delhi and Dhaka in the future.  

“The fact that our trade and economic ties, our transport and energy connectivity, and our people-to-people engagements have sustained a positive momentum, despite the turbulent changes in Bangladesh, shows that our relations are truly multifaceted, and cannot be reduced to a single agenda or issue,” Mr. Verma said, in an address to the Bay of Bengal Conference organised by the Centre for Governance Studies here on Sunday.

Referring to Bangladesh’s decision to shut down terror camps in 2009, and curb anti-India activities in the past two decades, Mr. Verma said that the country’s “zero-tolerance on terrorism” proved vital for bilateral cooperation and prosperity. “It will remain an important factor in the future development of our two countries, our region and our relationship.” 

He added that a “strong and prosperous” Bangladesh is vital for India and vice versa. 

The comments by the High Commissioner are significant as India and Bangladesh have seen a strain in ties after Ms. Hasina’s move to India as well as amid India’s concerns over the targeting of minorities including the 13.1 million-strong Hindu community in the country. Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs once again urged the Yunus government to take “strong measures” to ensure the safety of Hindus, after reports of a number of attacks on the homes of the minority community in Chittagong.