New Delhi: As political uncertainty deepens in Bangladesh, India has signalled a clear interest in the swift restoration of democratic order in its eastern neighbour. On Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs underscored the urgency of holding free and fair elections at the earliest, amid growing calls within Bangladesh--from the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and even the military-- for polls by the end of 2025. With Muhammad Yunus now at the helm of the interim government, India sees the timing and conduct of these elections not merely as a domestic matter for Dhaka but as a regional imperative with significant implications for security, connectivity, and economic cooperation across South Asia.
“We have articulated our position very clearly, as far as elections in Bangladesh are concerned, and we have done so consistently,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during his weekly media briefing here Thursday. “Bangladesh needs to ascertain the will and mandate of the people by holding an inclusive, fair and free election at an early date.”
The political landscape in Bangladesh is undergoing significant upheaval, with the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus facing mounting pressure to expedite the transition to democratic governance. India, sharing deep historical, economic, and strategic ties with Bangladesh, has expressed its expectation for free and fair elections to be held at the earliest. This stance aligns with calls from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Bangladesh Army Chief for elections by December 2025.
India’s concern over the political developments in Bangladesh stems from several strategic considerations. A stable Bangladesh is crucial for the security of India’s northeastern states, which share a long and porous border with Bangladesh. Political instability could lead to cross-border tensions and security challenges.
Bangladesh is one of India’s largest trading partners in South Asia. Prolonged political uncertainty could disrupt trade and economic cooperation.
India and Bangladesh have collaborated closely on counterterrorism efforts. A democratically elected and stable government in Bangladesh is essential for continued cooperation in this domain.
Earlier this week, the BNP reiterated its demand for the immediate announcement of a clear and specific roadmap to hold a free, fair, and impartial national election by December this year.
“We demand the prompt announcement of a specific roadmap for the formation of a national parliament by December 2025 through a fair, free, and impartial election,” the Dhaka Tribune news website quoted BNP Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain as saying during a press conference Tuesday in Dhaka.
Mosharraf said that giving top priority to the national election - reflecting the people’s highest aspiration - should be the main agenda of the current government.
“Otherwise, it will be difficult for the BNP, as a party of the people, to continue its cooperation with this government,” he stated.
Last Sunday, another BNP Standing Committee member, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, said that the head of the interim government has brought the fundamentalists together to keep hold of his position.
Speaking at a protest rally, he said that those who engage in progressive leftist and fundamentalist politics “originate from the same principles”.
“But the Chief Adviser has divided them. To stay in power, he has brought together the fundamentalists,” Bdnews24.com quoted Roy as saying.
Bangladesh Army chief General Waker-uz-Zaman too has said the general election should ideally be held by December this year, stating that only an elected government has the mandate to determine the country’s future course.
Speaking at an officers’ address at Senaprangan in Dhaka Cantonment on May 21, General Waker said his stance on the election remained unchanged.
“The right to shape the nation’s future belongs to an elected government,” the Dhaka Tribune quoted the Army chief as telling officers of various ranks.
Meanwhile, Yunus, during an ongoing visit to Japan, told former Japanese Prime Minister and Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary Friendship League President Taro Aso on Wednesday that the country’s next national election will be held any time between December and June next year.
“Prof Yunus told Taro Aso that the election will be held between December and June,” Yunus’s press secretary Shafiqul Islam was quoted as saying. “He has set a six-month time frame, and the election will be conducted within that period.”
According to Dhaka-based journalist Saifur Rahman Tapan, the Army chief’s role, as far as democratic governance is concerned, is appreciable.
“From the very beginning, since the ouster of the Awami League government in August last year, he has been saying that the army is not seeking to hold power,” Tapan told ETV Bharat over the phone from Dhaka. “It is the duty of only the elected representatives of the people.”
He recalled General Waker’s statement in September last year that Bangladesh would have an elected government within 18 months.
“I think our army chief is committed to an elected government,” Tapan said. “He said that the July-August disturbances last year destroyed all the institutions of the state except for the army. So, the army could play a role in bringing back democracy in Bangladesh.”
He was also of the view that, after the festival of Eid-ul-Zuha in June, Yunus would come under tremendous pressure to hold elections.
“The army won’t let him stay in power beyond December,” Tapan said.
According to an Indian expert on the politics of Bangladesh, if Yunus fails to hold free and fair elections by December this year, the army will take over.
Referring to the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson’s comments on Thursday on elections in Bangladesh, the expert told ETV Bharat on the condition of anonymity: “India is worried as the interim government in Bangladesh is giving one project after another to China. The activities of ISI (Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence) have also gone up in Bangladesh. It will be difficult for stability in the region.”
To sum up, the timely conduct of free and fair elections in Bangladesh is not only a domestic imperative but also a matter of regional significance. India’s engagement and expectations underscore the interconnectedness of South Asian democracies and the importance of political stability for mutual progress.
