Dhaka/New Delhi: In the final days before Bangladesh’s pivotal Feb 12 general election, the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has struck a delicate balance in its messaging on India, blending national sovereignty stances with pledges of respectful bilateral cooperation.
The BNP — poised to emerge as the dominant force in the election after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina — has made her extradition from India a central campaign demand, according to reports. It has asserted that her continued refuge in New Delhi undermines Bangladesh’s justice system and sovereignty.
Sheikh Hasina, who led successive governments for more than a decade, fled to India in August 2024 after large street protests toppled her administration. A Dhaka tribunal later convicted her in absentia on charges related to a crackdown on the uprising. Bangladesh authorities have formally asked India to send her back, but Indian officials have so far remained publicly non-committal, emphasizing legal processes and the importance of stable ties regardless of domestic politics.
At the same time, the BNP’s newly released election manifesto, as reported by Hindustan Times, softens tones toward neighbours, committing to relations based on equality, mutual respect and shared development goals. The party’s leader, Tarique Rahman, who returned from self-imposed exile to lead the BNP campaign, framed foreign policy within a “Bangladesh First” ethos.
According to the analysts, this approach reflects the political and diplomatic reality Dhaka faces: although relations with India have been strained since Hasina’s exit, Bangladesh cannot afford to sever ties with its powerful neighbour due to deep economic and security links. India remains a major trading partner and critical transit route, while longstanding cooperation on water, border and counter-insurgency issues continues to bind the two countries.
What does the opinion poll say?
A recent opinion poll by the Dhaka-based Communication Research Foundation and Bangladesh Elections and Public Opinion Studies found corruption to be voters’ top concern, according to Reuters. Bangladesh has long ranked among the world’s worst performers in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index.
Main issues in the country
According to an official data as cited in the Reuters report, inflation in Bangladesh edged up to 8.58% in January. More than two‑thirds of respondents in the opinion poll cited “prices” as their second‑biggest concern. Bangladesh has struggled to regain momentum since the COVID‑19 pandemic. The 2024 protests against then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina weighed on overall growth. The next government will also have the challenge to face unemployment issues.
Hasina’s Awami League has been barred from the election. While Hasina had claimed that her party’s absence would lead many to boycott the election, a recent survey—as reported by Reuters—found that nearly half of former Awami League voters now prefer the BNP, followed by roughly 30% who favour Jamaat.
