3 min readFeb 18, 2026 07:50 AM IST
First published on: Feb 18, 2026 at 07:50 AM IST
Tarique Rahman’s swearing-in as Prime Minister also marks the beginning of a new phase in India-Bangladesh relations. When the BNP was last in power from 2001 to 2006, led by the new PM’s mother, the late Khaleda Zia, then heading a coalition with the Jamaat-e-Islami, the relationship with India was tested. Some of the issues of contention then mirror the points of unease today. There were incidents of violence against the Hindu minority following the October 2001 elections; India’s requests that Bangladesh act against insurgent groups operating against it largely went unheeded. India invested in ties with the Sheikh Hasina government, therefore, after her return to power in 2009. Now, Delhi needs to engage with a new Dhaka. There are signs it is doing so, and the Rahman-led BNP has also signalled it will meet it halfway.
A future-facing shift has been evident in Delhi’s outreach to Rahman recently. Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Dhaka to attend Khaleda Zia’s funeral in December, and Speaker Om Birla was present at Rahman’s swearing-in. Rahman steered clear of anti-India rhetoric during his election campaign, while his party manifesto pledged to uphold religious freedom and communal harmony. Yet, going ahead, there will be challenges. Foremost among them is Hasina. Dhaka has submitted a formal extradition request, but New Delhi is unlikely to send her back — rightly so — particularly when international assessments agree that the ICT verdict was driven by vendetta, not justice. Then, the hardline Jamaat-e-Islami is in a stronger position after this election, and a large chunk of the constituencies it has won lie close to the India-Bangladesh border. Security cooperation with the Rahman government will be essential for India, given the historical baggage of insurgent groups operating actively during the rule of the BNP-Jamaat coalition in 2001-2006. The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government failed to prevent incidents of violence against Hindus — it will be the new dispensation’s responsibility to reassure the minorities. China’s expanding footprint and Islamabad’s bid to rebuild ties with Dhaka during Yunus’s tenure suggest that New Delhi will need to be engaged and vigilant.
The logic of a shared history and culture, and strong economic cooperation provide a strong foundation for mutually beneficial ties. A meaningful reset calls for prudence on both sides and, from the larger player, magnanimity. The Rahman government must address New Delhi’s concerns. India’s political establishment must temper policy and rhetoric with long-termism and sobriety.
