Bangladesh's stability of 'paramount importance' to regional security: Delhi

India's foreign ministry underscores the need to foster a "constructive" and "cooperative" relationship with Bangladesh for the continued security and safety of India's borders

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stressed that stability in Bangladesh is of "paramount importance" to the region amid fraught relations between Delhi and Dhaka following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina regime last year.

In a background note prepared by the ministry for a meeting with the Indian Parliament’s Standing Committee on External Affairs last week, the MEA underscored the need to foster a "constructive" and "cooperative" relationship with Bangladesh for the continued security and safety of India's borders.

"We have been maintaining communication with the concerned authorities of the Government of Bangladesh to secure our security interests and ensure that our strategic concerns are addressed by the government of the day in Bangladesh."

Among the key concerns flagged by the MEA was the "continued release of violent Islamic extremists" convicted of serious crimes. The ministry labelled the issue as a matter of "grave concern", not just for law and order in Bangladesh but for regional and global security as a whole.

The MEA noted a shift in Bangladesh's political landscape after the Awami League's 15-year rule was ended by a mass uprising in August, 2024. An interim government led by Muhammad Yunus as its chief advisor has since taken the reins with the aim of implementing wholesale state reforms.

The country has also seen the emergence of a new political party led by the student leaders of the anti-government protests, which has announced plans to contest the upcoming elections, the MEA said.

"Chief Advisor Yunus has given indications regarding holding the national elections in December 2025, preparations for which have been started by the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and others. The timeline of reforms before elections remains unclear and there is growing pressure from large parties for early elections," the note said.

The ministry raised concerns about "lawlessness" in Bangladesh, pointing to "regular reports" of mob violence, vandalism, and crimes against women and minorities. It also cited public statements made by Bangladesh's Chief of Army Staff Waker-uz-Zaman, highlighting the growing threat posed by "factionalism" and "political unrest".

One of the main points of contention raised by the new administration in Dhaka was the "industrial-scale misinformation campaign" conducted by sections of the Indian media, particularly surrounding the treatment of religious minorities in Bangladesh since the fall of the Awami League government, to fuel unrest.

In its note, the MEA reiterated concerns over communal violence, claiming that there had been a "marked rise in religious symbolism in public spaces, with extremist groups attempting to exploit the political vacuum to foment the "establishment of an Islamic Caliphate".

Citing a statement by the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council over violence against religious and ethnic minorities, the ministry told the parliamentary panel that as many as 2,184 attacks targeting minorities were reported in Bangladesh between Aug 4 and Dec 31, 2024.

BILATERAL RELATIONS

After years of diplomatic bonhomie between Delhi and Dhaka, relations hit a nadir in the wake of the July Uprising in Bangladesh, with India's offering continued shelter to Hasina becoming a particular sore point.

Hopes of a thaw in relations through a proposed meeting between Yunus and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BIMSTEC summit are hanging in the balance as Dhaka's calls have gone unanswered by New Delhi.

Addressing Delhi's relationship with the interim administration in Dhaka, the MEA said Modi had congratulated Yunus after he took office as Bangladesh's de facto prime minister and invited him to participate in the 3rd Voice of the Global South Summit. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met Bangladesh's foreign affairs advisor on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York in September 2024, it added.

"Bilateral trade during April–December 2024 has increased marginally compared with the corresponding period in 2023. Work on India’s development assistance projects has been continuing, which had been interrupted by the violence in the month of August 2024."

"EAM Jaishankar met Foreign Affairs Advisor Md Touhid Hossain on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat, Oman. The two sides discussed various bilateral issues of mutual concern and interests, along with BIMSTEC. The India-Bangladesh Naval Exercise Bongosagar 2025 and Coordinated Patrol was conducted in the Bay of Bengal from Mar 10-12, 2025. The exercise enhanced interoperability between the two navies, facilitating collaborative responses to shared maritime security challenges. Commemoration of Victory Day was done with reciprocal visits of war veterans from both sides on Dec 15 2024."

The MEA, however, pointed out that India was issuing visas to Bangladeshi nationals on a reduced scale due to "some security concerns".

CONCERNS OVER SAFETY OF MINORITY COMMUNITIES

The MEA said India has repeatedly expressed its concerns and expectations to the interim government regarding the safety and protection of Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh.

Most recently, the matter was raised during a bilateral meeting between Jaishankar and Touhid on the sidelines of the 8th Indian Ocean Conference in Muscat, according to the ministry.

According to the ministry, Delhi's consistent calls on Bangladesh to take concrete actions to protect the rights of minorities, ensure their political and social inclusion, and promote a culture of tolerance and coexistence have gone unheeded.

"The Government of Bangladesh has not only acknowledged the systematic persecution of minorities but has also sought to downplay the scale and nature of violence against the Hindus since August 2024," it said.

The note added that officials, including Chief Advisor Yunus and other members of the interim government, have dismissed the reports of atrocities against minorities as media exaggeration, claiming that these incidents were not communal in nature but rather "political killings" targeting Awami League members.

"The Government of India is closely monitoring the situation and has repeatedly urged the interim government of Bangladesh to bring to justice those responsible for killings, arson, and violence against minority communities, particularly Hindus.

Looking ahead, the MEA said that working-level engagements with Bangladesh have helped establish a framework for bilateral cooperation, ensuring that India’s core strategic concerns continue to be addressed.

It highlighted the importance for both countries to recognise the value of economic and infrastructural linkages in driving regional development. Trade and commerce will remain a key area of collaboration, especially as Bangladesh prepares to graduate from its Least Developed Country (LDC) status, which will bring changes to trade policies, including tariff structures, according to the ministry.

"While India continues to be interested in advancing our mutual interests and priorities, it is crucial that the government of Bangladesh pays due attention to our security and strategic concerns in the region, on which we will continue to work with them."