Interim FM Touhid says Bangladesh-India ties in a phase of ‘readjustment’ after Hasina’s exit

He urges everyone to “accept the reality” that the intimacy shared between the last government and India no longer exists

Foreign Affairs Advisor Touhid Hossain has said Bangladesh’s relations with India are currently undergoing a phase of “readjustment” following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government, but insisted that the ties are not “cold.”

Speaking at the foreign ministry on Thursday, he urged everyone to “accept the reality” that the intimacy shared between the last government and India does not exist now.

“So I would describe this as a phase of realignment,” he said, adding, “We wouldn’t call it cold.”

“We see the relationship as being in a stage of readjustment, and we’re not lacking in goodwill in that regard. That’s all I wish to say.”

Tensions have simmered between the two countries since Aug 5, 2024, when the Awami League-led administration was ousted in the face of a mass uprising.

The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government has accused India of harbouring "fallen autocrat" Hasina and attempting to destabilise Bangladesh.

India, meanwhile, has raised concerns over the treatment of minorities in Bangladesh and urged the new government to take appropriate action.

Dhaka has countered by accusing Indian media outlets of spreading “disinformation and exaggeration”.

In recent months, tit-for-tat diplomatic summons, statements over border issues, and disputes about Hasina’s remarks in Indian media have marked an increasingly strained phase in bilateral ties.

The friction has extended into trade, with both countries imposing restrictions. Most recently, on May 17, India suspended imports of Bangladeshi garments and processed foods through land ports.

When asked whether the “readjustment” involved political, economic or connectivity issues, Touhid said: “It covers everything.”

On Myanmar, he noted that bilateral relations remain unproblematic except for the Rohingya crisis.

“There’s only one solution -- safe, dignified, and voluntary repatriation. The global community agrees on this in principle,” he said. “But we have yet to achieve that in practice. We hope to make progress in the coming days.”