India–Bangladesh Border Dispute: Resolution, Political Shifts & Emerging Challenges

Tanvir Rusmat:

The India–Bangladesh border dispute is widely seen as one of South Asia’s rare success stories in resolving complex territorial issues peacefully. Several longstanding disputes over enclaves, land boundaries, and maritime zones have largely been settled. However, with recent political changes in Bangladesh, new tensions and challenges are surfacing that threaten to test the fragile equilibrium achieved.

The landmark Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) of 2015, signed under the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, brought close to 160 enclaves on both sides into formal alignment. Small yet symbolically significant parcels of territory were exchanged, millions of people were affected, and sovereignty ambiguities were largely removed. Analysts regard this as a major diplomatic victory and proof that territorial disputes between India and Bangladesh can be resolved amicably.

In addition, prior international rulings—particularly over maritime boundaries—have given Bangladesh substantial rights over portions of the Bay of Bengal, under the United Nations-administered tribunals. These judgments have been accepted by India, averting what many feared might become recurrent confrontations.

Since August 2024, Bangladesh has undergone significant political change. Widespread protests led to the resignation of Sheikh Hasina, and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus took over. This shift has had a ripple effect on Bangladesh’s foreign policy, including its approach to border issues with India.

Under the new leadership, Bangladesh has adopted a more assertive diplomatic stance in talks with India—especially concerning fencing, border infrastructure, and what Dhaka perceives as unfair or imbalanced agreements. For example, in early 2025, Bangladesh criticized India’s initiative to erect a single-row fence along stretches of the border, citing environmental impacts and harm to local livelihoods.

Domestic political rhetoric has changed too. Where previously the focus under Hasina was more on maintaining bilateral harmony and gradual cooperation, the interim government has been more vocal about “uneven agreements” that, in Dhaka’s view, favoured Indian security concerns over Bangladesh’s sovereignty and human rights.

Some of the new flashpoints involve:

Allegations of people being “pushed back” into Bangladesh from Indian border security operations, including refugees and migrants. Bangladesh claims due process is often ignored in such operations.

Accusations that Indian border fencing and infrastructure projects proceed without adequate consultation, infringing upon rights of border communities.

Concerns over border killings, smuggling, and other illicit cross-border activity. Bangladesh has emphasized a desire to renegotiate or reform aspects of border management protocol.

Prof. Rahim Uddin, a political scientist at Dhaka University, says: “The LBA under Hasina settled many technicalities, but the political will must now match legal frameworks. The interim government seems intent on pushing back where it perceives imbalance.”

Another analyst, former diplomat Sara Begum, remarks, “While Delhi has long treated India-Bangladesh relations through strategic cooperation, Dhaka’s shift in tone reflects a more equity-oriented diplomacy, perhaps because the domestic audience under the Yunus government demands accountability for past border policies.”

The changes in tone and policy have real stakes. India may view Bangladesh’s new demands and criticisms as unsettling, particularly in state governments near the border that are sensitive to migration or security issues. Some trade corridors and transit agreements that functioned under the previous regime may face renegotiation or disruption if Bangladesh insists on stricter border controls or amended terms. Bangladesh’s re-engagement with China and Pakistan, broader international diplomacy, and recalibration of its “Look East / South Asia” policy may influence how India responds.

The India–Bangladesh border dispute, once a potential source of prolonged tension, has largely been resolved in legal and diplomatic terms. But political changes in Bangladesh are now testing whether those resolutions will hold under new expectations of sovereignty, equity, and human rights. For now, both sides appear willing to talk yet as Dhaka becomes more assertive, diplomatic friction and renegotiation may become the new norm.