The tone in Dhaka has also softened. Last week, Bangladeshi foreign affairs adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain remarked that bilateral relations would not be stalled because of a few unresolved issues, including the Hasina affair. 

By Sadik Sagar, Dhaka, December 4, 2025

Amid months of strained relations, India and Bangladesh appear to be cautiously moving toward a diplomatic thaw, with recent gestures from both sides indicating an attempt to stabilize ties in the post–Sheikh Hasina political landscape. The first signal came with the quiet visit of Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Khalilur Rahman to New Delhi. This was followed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unexpected message for an ailing Khaleda Zia, chairperson of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and long-time rival to Sheikh Hasina.

The tone in Dhaka has also softened. Last week, Bangladeshi foreign affairs adviser Mohammad Touhid Hossain remarked that bilateral relations would not be stalled because of a few unresolved issues, including the Hasina affair. “Our interests will remain… I don’t think everything else will be stuck because of this,” he said, signalling a recalibration of rhetoric that has dominated Dhaka’s position since Hasina’s ouster.

India recognizes that the Sheikh Hasina episode will remain a sensitive factor until the extradition issue is resolved. The former Prime Minister—known for her close ties with New Delhi—was recently sentenced to death for alleged crimes against humanity during last year’s unrest. Her fall from power, coupled with the rise of interim chief Muhammad Yunus, left India with no reliable political partner in Dhaka. That vacuum was quickly exploited by Pakistan and China, which moved to strengthen their footprints.

Against this backdrop, India’s outreach to the BNP—now the largest mainstream political party—has assumed new significance. A recent opinion poll shows the BNP poised to win the most seats in the February 2026 elections, with Jamaat-e-Islami close behind. The resurgence of Jamaat, previously banned by Hasina, has raised concerns in New Delhi. The party’s ideological proximity to Pakistan and its growing influence—demonstrated by its student wing’s surprise victory in Dhaka University polls—has amplified fears of a possible Jamaat-led or Jamaat-influenced government next door.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has publicly warned that such a scenario would be a “worrying portent” for India, particularly with the Pakistani leadership and ISI officials making discreet visits to Dhaka in recent weeks.

For New Delhi, therefore, the BNP’s role has become pivotal. India views the BNP’s decision to contest the 2026 elections solo—without forming an alliance with Jamaat—as a positive development. The declining health of Khaleda Zia, meanwhile, has prompted widespread sympathy that may politically benefit the party.

Prime Minister Modi’s post expressing concern over Zia’s deteriorating health—and offering “all possible support”—sparked intense diplomatic chatter. The BNP promptly thanked Modi, noting its “sincere gratitude” for the gesture. Zia, who met Modi during his 2015 Bangladesh visit, was hospitalized last week with cardiac and respiratory infections. Her condition worsened over the weekend, prompting a five-member Chinese medical team arrival in Dhaka to assist Bangladeshi doctors. Messages from foreign leaders have also poured in, including a letter from Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s decision to proceed with the NSA-level meeting in New Delhi, despite domestic pressure to cancel the visit, indicates both sides are keen to stabilise ties. During Rahman’s early arrival in India for a regional forum, he met Indian NSA Ajit Doval, though both sides remain tight-lipped about the discussions. He also extended an invitation for Doval to visit Dhaka.

In the evolving geopolitical scenario, New Delhi appears to be repositioning itself carefully—engaging with new political forces while navigating old sensitivities—as Bangladesh enters a crucial election year marked by uncertainty, shifting alliances, and the search for long-term stability in bilateral ties.