BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has stated that relations between India and Bangladesh have begun to thaw since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government, which was ousted through a mass movement of students and the public.
In an interview with the Indian news agency ANI following his meeting with Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma, Fakhrul expressed optimism about the direction of bilateral ties.
Fakhrul shared the BNP's belief that relations with India have started to improve following the assumption of responsibility by the interim government led by Dr Yunus.
The recent meeting between BNP’s secretary general and the Indian high commissioner took place in Dhaka, during which both sides discussed a range of issues.
Speaking to ANI, Fakhrul noted that the meeting had brought about significant positive developments for both nations.
"Our relations had been under scrutiny since the last elections in Bangladesh, but the high commissioner's visit to our office signals an improvement in the situation. The ice has started to melt," he remarked.
BNP had boycotted the national parliamentary elections held in January 2024. Fakhrul reiterated that India and Bangladesh have always enjoyed strong relations and that the current developments signify a turning point.
In his remarks, Fakhrul assured India that, should his party come to power, Bangladesh’s territory would not be allowed to be used by separatist organisations, addressing historical accusations that insurgent groups from India's northeastern regions had found refuge in Bangladesh.
"We discussed the normalisation of relations between Bangladesh and India," Fakhrul said, adding that issues such as water-sharing disputes, border killings, and the trade imbalance were also raised.
India’s primary concern, however, remained security. Fakhrul reaffirmed that if the BNP comes into power, it will ensure that separatist groups cannot operate from Bangladeshi soil.
Addressing past misunderstandings between the BNP and India, Fakhrul said, "I believe the ice has started to melt, and I hope this relationship will continue to improve. This time, India will try to understand our position, particularly by gauging the pulse of the Bangladeshi people. India should avoid putting all its eggs in one basket and work towards fostering relations between the people of both nations."
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with the interim government's Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Towhid Hossain, on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Discussions between Dhaka and Delhi reportedly focused on matters of mutual interest.
Commenting on this, Fakhrul described the meeting between the adviser and Jaishankar as "very significant" and expressed confidence that the relationship between the two countries would strengthen further.
He emphasised the importance of enhancing cooperation between the people of both nations, stating, "Strengthening people-to-people ties is the key to fortifying the overall relationship between India and Bangladesh."
When questioned about the possible return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Fakhrul said, "I do not know whether the government has formally requested India to repatriate her. However, I believe she should return to Bangladesh to face the allegations against her and be held accountable."
