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India | Bangladesh |
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Diplomatic mission | |
High Commission of India, Dhaka | High Commission of Bangladesh, New Delhi |
Envoy | |
Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Kumar Verma | Bangladeshi High Commissioner to India Mustafizur Rahman |
The bilateral relations between the neighboring People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Republic of India, formally began in 1971 with India's recognition of an independent Bangladesh (which was formerly known as East Pakistan) following India's military intervention helping Bangladesh secure independence following the Bangladesh Liberation War.
Although some disputes remain unresolved, the relations between the two countries have been characterised as cooperative. [1] [2] [3] Bangladesh and India are common members of SAARC, BIMSTEC, IORA and the Commonwealth. The two countries share many cultural ties. In particular, Bangladesh and the east Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura are Bengali-speaking. A historic land boundary agreement was signed on 6 June 2015 which settled decades-old border disputes, [4] while negotiations are still ongoing over the sharing of water of the transboundary rivers.
In recent decades, Bangladesh has seen rising anti-India sentiments among its citizens due to the Indian government's perceived anti-Muslim and anti-Bangladeshi activities including India's interference in internal politics of Bangladesh, killings of Bangladeshis by Indian BSF, Citizenship Amendment Act, rise of Hindutva in India, anti-Bangladeshi disinformation in Indian media as well as India's reluctance in solving the water disputes in common rivers with Bangladesh. [5] [6] In 2019, several Bangladeshi ministers cancelled their scheduled state visits to India as a response to India's Citizenship Amendment Bill. [7] In 2021, massive protests in Bangladesh against the state visit by Indian PM Narendra Modi to the country led to the deaths of at least 14 people. [8] Furthermore, India continued to support former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her tenure, even as her administration has faced accusations of increasing authoritarianism and corruption. [9] [10] Furthermore, India provided shelter to Sheikh Hasina after her resignation in the Student–People's uprising in Bangladesh, which further boosted Bangladeshi people's anger towards India.
Since the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in 2015 and round back visit of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2017, the notable developments that have taken places include resolution of long-pending land and maritime boundaries asserting the issue of enclaves, conclusion of over ninety instruments comprising in the hi-tech areas, i.e., electronics, cyber-security, space, information technology, and civil nuclear energy and observed increase in bilateral trade from US$9 billion to US$10.46 billion in the fiscal year (FY) 2018–19, preceded by US$7 billion to US$9 billion in FY 2017–18, an increase of 28.5 percent. [11] The Bangladesh government is set to initiate three significant infrastructure projects with the backing of India's financial assistance. These projects encompass a power plant and railway links among other crucial developments. [12]
The links between the republics of modern-day India and Bangladesh are civilizational, cultural, social, and economic. There is much that unites the two countries – a shared history of the and common heritage originating from the Bengal region, linguistic and cultural ties, passion for music, literature and the arts. [13] [ non-primary source needed ] Both the countries were under the British Raj during the colonial era, with Bengal having been the first major region conquered by the British, and British India's capital having been established in Calcutta (now Kolkata - very near the modern India-Bangladesh border) until 1911. [14] Rabindranath Tagore, the Bengali Polymath from colonial India created the national anthems of both today's Bangladesh and India in 1905 and 1911 respectively. [15]
The initial basis for modern-day Bangladesh came with the 1905 partition of Bengal. [16] Though this was reversed in 1911 amid much uproar, Bengal still lost some of its prestige with the simultaneous announcement at the Delhi Durbar that the capital was to be moved to Delhi. [17] During the partition of British India in 1947, the Bengal region was again partitioned based on religious lines, [18] and East Bengal was transferred under the Dominion of Pakistan and West Bengal under the Dominion of India. East Bengal was later renamed as East Pakistan during the implementation of One Unit Scheme, [19] after which in 1971, Bangladesh Liberation War occurred which resulted in its independence from Pakistan. The Indian Republic was a strong ally during the war, due to which it fought the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. [20]
From the mid-1970s, however, relations worsened because Bangladesh developed closer ties with Muslim nations, participated in the Organization of the Islamic Conference, and increased emphasis on Islamic identity over the country's ethnolinguistic roots. [21] The two countries developed different Cold War alliances in the 1980s, which further chilled bilateral relations. [22] [23] With the onset of economic liberalization in South Asia, they forged greater bilateral engagement and trade. The historic Ganges Water Sharing Treaty was concluded in 1996. India and Bangladesh are close strategic partners in counter-terrorism. They are also one the largest trading partners in South Asia. [24]
Throughout the premiership of Sheikh Hasina between 2009 and 2024, India and Bangladesh enjoyed best time in the their bilateral relationship.
In September 2011, the two countries signed a major accord on border demarcation to end the 4-decade old disputes over boundaries. This came to be known as the Tin Bigha Corridor. India also granted 24-hour access to Bangladeshi citizens in the Tin Bigha Corridor. The agreement included exchange of adversely held enclaves, involving 51,000 people spread over 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh and 51 Bangladeshi enclaves in India. The total land involved is over 24,000 acres. [25] [26] On 9 October that year, Indian and Bangladeshi armies participated in Sampriti-II (Unity-II), a 14-day-long Joint military exercise at Sylhet to increase synergy between their forces. [27]
In 2012, Bangladesh allowed India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation to ferry heavy machinery, turbines and cargo through Ashuganj for Palatana Power project in southern Tripura. [28] From October 2013, India started exporting 500 megawatts of electricity a day to Bangladesh over a period of 35 years. A 125-kilometre Baharampur–Bheramara transmission line, 40 km of it in Bangladesh, connects the two substations. Bangladesh officials believe the export would greatly ease the national shortage once 500 MW flows into the national grid. The two country's Prime Ministers also unveiled the plaque of the 1,320-MW coal-fired Rampal power plant, a joint venture between the two countries. [29] The link was as a major milestone in strengthening the bilateral relationship and comes at a time when India is desperate to make up for its inability to deliver on two key pacts with Bangladesh: one on Teesta waters and the land boundary pact. [30]
Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj visited Bangladesh in her first official overseas trip in June 2014. During her first official overseas visit, Foreign Minister of India, Sushma Swaraj concluded various agreements to boost ties. They include:
On 7 May 2015 the Indian Parliament, in the presence of Bangladeshi diplomats, unanimously passed the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) as its 100th Constitutional amendment, thereby resolving all 68-year-old border disputes since the end of the British Raj. The bill was pending ratification since the 1974 Mujib-Indira accords.
During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Bangladesh during June 2015 as many as 22 agreements were signed by two sides. During the visit India extended a US$2 billion line of credit to Bangladesh & pledged US$5 billion worth of investments. As per the agreements, India's Reliance Power agreed to invest US$3 billion to set up a 3,000 MW LNG-based power plant (which is the single largest foreign investment ever made in Bangladesh). Adani Power will also be setting up a 1600 MW coal-fired power plant at a cost of US$1.5 billion. [31] The two countries signed a total of 22 agreements including the ones on maritime safety co-operation and curbing human trafficking and fake Indian currency. Modi also announced a line of credit of $2 billion to Bangladesh. [32]
At midnight on 31 July 2015, around 50,000 people became citizens of India or Bangladesh after living in limbo for decades. Ending a prolonged dispute, the two nations swapped 162 enclaves on the border region, allowing the people living there to stay or opt out to the other country. While 14,214 citizens of Bangladesh residing in 51 enclaves on the Indian side became Indians, a large number of people in the 111 Indian enclaves in Bangladesh preferred to stay with Bangladesh and just 979 opted to move to India. The total number of new Indian citizens will be 15,193.[ citation needed ]
In 2018, the leaders of both the countries inaugurated the 130 km long Bangladesh-India Friendship pipeline to supply 4 lakh tonnes of diesel to Bangladesh. In September 2018, the Bangladesh cabinet approved the draft of a proposed agreement with India to allow it to use the Chittagong and Mongla sea ports for transporting goods to and from its land-locked northeastern states. [33] [34]
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August 2024 Bangladesh floods hampered Bangladesh–India relations due to misinformation against India in Bangladesh.
According to India's foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, prime minister Narendra Modi was among the first foreign leaders to greet Muhammad Yunus after he assumed office. [35]
In early December 2024, the tensions between the two countries reduced after a diplomatic visit by India's foreign secretary. He called on the advisor in-chief Muhammad Yunus and the meeting concluded on a positive note. The foreign secretary conveyed that New Delhi envisaged "joint and concerted efforts" and desired increased engagement with Dhaka. However, he also raised the issue of attacks on cultural and religious sites. Muhammad Yunus described relations with India as "very solid". [35]
On December 25, 2024, the Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma expressed optimism about Bangladesh-India relations, highlighting mutual benefits from their growing capabilities. A "strong support" for a "democratic, stable, peaceful, progressive, and inclusive" Bangladesh was stated by the high commissioner. The high commissioner also said that New Delhi and Dhaka have a strong stake in each other's progress and prosperity. [36]
On January 1, 2025, an interview of the Bangladesh Army Chief Waker-Uz-Zaman with Prothom Alo English hinted at a positive outlook towards India. General Waker emphasized the importance of a balanced and mutually beneficial relationship between Bangladesh and India. He acknowledged both countries' dependence on each other, with India playing a significant role in trade, work, and medical services. Waker stressed the need for fairness and equality in their interactions, ensuring Bangladeshis didn't feel dominated, preserving national interests while fostering good relations. The relationship was described as a "give and take". When questioned on security cooperation, the general stated that Bangladesh would not do anything that goes against India's strategic interests and expected India to reciprocate. [37]
On the same day, Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain mentioned that Bangladesh's ties with India would "extend beyond a single issue" and assured that maintaining good relations with India was among the priorities in 2025. [38]
On 6 December, Bangladesh and India celebrate Friendship Day commemorating India's recognition of Bangladesh and the continued friendship between the two countries. [39]
From November 2013, A Wagah Border-like ceremony is being organised at Petrapole (in West Bengal, India) - Benapole (Bangladesh) border checkpoint. The ceremony which includes parades, march-past and lowering of the national flag of both the countries is now a daily routine, at sundown, on the eastern border. [40]
In November 2015, Bangladeshi Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed was critical of India's 2015 Nepal blockade, stating that "blockades hit at agreements like the BBIN". [41]
In 2019, the Indian Parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), [42] following which Bangladesh's Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan cancelled their trips to India. [7] Later, minister Shahriar Alam also cancelled his visit to India. [43] Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was critical of the CAA, describing it as "not necessary", but nevertheless affirmed CAA and the National Register of Citizens were "internal matters" of India. [44]
In 2023, Bangladesh backed India in its diplomatic feud with Canada over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, describing Canada as a "hub for murderers". [45]
On 2 December 2024, members of the far-right Hindutva organisation Hindu Sangharsh Samity attacked the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, Tripura. They entered the premises and "took down the Bangladesh flag, set it on fire, and caused some vandalism inside the building". [46]
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Bangladesh-India bilateral trade was over US$10 billion in 2018–19. [47] [48] Bilateral trade between India and Bangladesh stood at US$6.6 billion in 2013–14 with India's exports at US$6.1 billion and imports from Bangladesh at US$462 million, representing more than double the value of US$2.7 billion five years ago. [49]
Bangladesh cabinet approved a revised trade deal with India under which the two nations would be able to use each other's land and water routes for sending goods to a third country, removing a long-standing barrier in regional trade. Under the deal India would also be able to send goods to Myanmar through Bangladesh. It incorporated a provision that the deal would be renewed automatically after five years if neither of the countries did not have any objection. [50]
During the state visit by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi in September 2022, she has urged with Indian businesses to invest in her nation's burgeoning manufacturing, energy, and transportation sectors, as well as its infrastructure projects. In his response to her invitation, CII President Sanjiv Bajaj discussed energy and infrastructure, as well as the ways in which connectivity can be utilized to promote shared prosperity. He went on to say that "India's experience with Digital India ought to be utilized in order to better sync it with Digital Bangladesh in order to provide more opportunities for digital and financial inclusion." [51]
In 2011, India approved a $750 million loan for developing Bangladesh infrastructure [52] and offered another $1 billion soft loan for infrastructure development in 2014. [53]
India has been of indirect assistance for the creation of cement sector in Bangladesh that eventually propelled it to the league of top 20 cement producers in the world. India and France first brought cement production to Bangladesh. In 1974, the French company Lafarge decided to set up a factory in Sylhet that used limestone from the Indian state of Meghalaya. [54]
During the first 6 months right after the liberation war, until June 1972, India committed $220 million or approximately $1.6 billion if adjusted with inflation as of 2024, to Bangladesh which made it the largest aid provider at that time. [54]
India has provided Bangladesh about $7.862 billion through four different Lines of Credit (LOC) programs, making Bangladesh the largest recipient under India's LOC initiative. This assistance has supported infrastructure development across various sectors, with 14 projects successfully completed out of 43 under implementation as of 2021. By October 2021, $865 million had been disbursed, and contracts worth over $990.85 million had been awarded in the preceding three years, with an additional $325.58 million in the finalization stage. India’s active coordination with Bangladesh's Economic Relations Division (ERD) and other stakeholders has significantly improved project execution speeds, fostering mutual progress and regional development. [58]
During Sheikh Hasina's four-day visit to New Delhi in April 2017, Bangladesh and India signed two defence agreements, the first such agreements between India and any of its neighbours. Under the agreements, the militaries of the two countries will conduct joint exercises and training. India will help Bangladesh set up manufacturing and service centres for defence platforms that both countries possess with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing in Bangladesh, and will also provide the Bangladesh military with expert training, and technical and logistic support. India also extended its first ever defence-related line of credit to a neighbouring country, by providing Bangladesh with $500 million to purchase defence equipment. [59]
Also, the militaries of the two countries have played quite an extensive role in taking up common issues to enhance and conduct training programmes to deal with counter terrorism issues, natural disasters, ensure Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Reliefs (HADR). In March 2019, Indian Army's GOC-in-C of the Eastern Army Command, General M.M. Naravane visited to the Chief of Army Staff, of Bangladesh General Aziz Ahmed to hold talks related to boosting of Intelligence sharing between the 2 countries along with developing other areas of defence cooperation. The visit has most importantly come up at the time, when Myanmar decided to take strong actions in order to act against the operating insurgent groups which were operating foiling up terrorist activities on both the sides of India and Myanmar, along with that had discussions on various options to enhance the conduction of Military exercises at a more rapid and strong scale. [60]
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "India would not like to impose anything which Bangladesh may find not suitable to its requirement. The bilateral document under consideration is aimed at institutionalizing the existing mechanism and streamlining the ongoing cooperation between both the countries", an official said, adding maritime security will be a key element in the partnership with the two countries facing similar challenges in the Bay of Bengal zone. A joint road-map for developing Blue Economy in Bay of Bengal is likely to be unveiled during Prime Minister Hasina's visit. [61]
Also, both Prime Ministers of India and Bangladesh, had welcomed their initiatives for developing a closer effort to strengthen Maritime Security Partnerships and also they appreciated the finalization of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to the establishment of a Coastal Surveillance Radar System in Bangladesh's Chittagong and Mongla ports. [62]
During the state visit by Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi in 2019, had a talk with Narendra Modi, where he appreciated the zero-tolerance policy of the government of Bangladesh's resolute effort towards ensuring peace, security and stability in the entire region and also it was recognized by both the leaders, that terrorism yet remains as one of the major significant threads to the levels of peace and stability of both the countries and the regions. However, the leaders of the two nations had entrusted and reiterated their faith and strong commitment in order to eliminate in all its forms of manifestations and stressed of the fact of avoiding terror. Also, both the leaders had referred to the successful discussions between the Home Ministers of both Bangladesh and India during the visit made by the Home Minister of Bangladesh to India in August 2019, whereby he agreed for a closer cooperation to fight against extremist radical groups, terrorist organisations, smuggling of arms, drugs and fake currency and also organized crime as a shared priority. [62]
According to the Diplomatic Bluebook for 1972 published by MoFA Japan, India acted behind the scenes in 1972 which led to the recognition of Bangladesh by 98 countries which subsequently helped unlocked $1,300 million in aid. Indian bid for recognition of Bangladesh at UN faced tough opposition from Pakistan and China and the process was prolonged. [63] Bangladesh was eventually recognized by the United Nations in September 1974.
India has introduced the concept of the Regional Power Trading System which will help various regions of the country in reducing the power deficit by transferring surplus power from another region. Under the Electricity Act 2003, the Indian companies could pool power in an exchange. A consumer would be free to buy it from anyone. This concept of power pool within India can also be enlarged to cover the neighbouring countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal after the establishment of a sub-regional power pool and necessary inter-connections among these countries are put in place. This can ultimately form a regional power pool thereby generating a huge opportunity for power trading in the region. [64] India is also looking to export electricity from its north-eastern region with potential to generate some 58,971 MW to its eastern States through Bangladesh. Bangladesh hopes to have access to Nepal and Bhutan's power through India. Bangladesh formally requested a "power corridor" to access the Bhutanese and Nepalese markets. It has agreed to allow India to transfer hydroelectricity from Assam to Bihar through its territory. The proposed meeting would attempt to remove irritants in project-related areas. [65]
In 2016 deal between Modi and Hasina was criticized. Bangladeshi critics accused the deal for setting a high price for the import of electricity, especially from Tripura. Equipment for the plant was sent through Bangladesh which waived most of the transit fees. [66] Adani Power said on 8 November 2017 its arm Adani Power (Jharkhand) has inked long-term pact with Bangladesh Power Development Board to supply electricity from its upcoming 1,600 MW plant at Godda in Jharkhand.
Readymade Garments account for majority of Bangladesh's exports, but the sector itself is heavily reliant on import of Cotton from countries like India, China, and Brazil. Bangladesh's economic boom reliant on this sector relies heavily on raw materials imported from India. [67] According to The Observatory of Economic Complexity, in the year 2022 alone, raw cotton accounted for about 21% of Indian exports to Bangladesh. Bangladesh imports cotton primarily from India at about $942 million. [68] [69]
Every year 200 Bangladeshi students receive ICCR scholarships. [70] India has offered scholarships for meritorious Bangladeshi under and post graduate students and PhD researchers to undertake studies in traditional systems of medicines like Ayurveda, Unani and Homeopathy, according to Indian High Commission in Dhaka. [71] In 2017, 400 Indian medical students protested in Chittagong after they failed to register with the Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council. [72] [73]
Bangladesh started mass COVID-19 vaccinations with India's Serum Institute Covishield vaccines on 7 February 2021. [74] Bangladesh procured 7 million doses and India had meant to gift a further 3.3 million doses. [75] Due to a second wave of COVID-19 in India, the vaccine export was halted. It hampered the vaccination program in Bangladesh. [76]
In April 2021, Bangladesh sent medicines and medical equipment to India following the deteriorating COVID-19 situation in India. The relief package consisted of approximately 10,000 vials of Remdesivir, (produced in Bangladesh by Beximco) anti-viral injections, oral anti-viral, 30,000 PPE kits, and several thousand Zinc, Calcium, Vitamin C and other necessary tablets. [77] In May 2021, the government of Bangladesh sent a second consignment of COVID-19 relief consisting of antibiotics, paracetamol, protective equipment and hand sanitiser. [78]
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A major area of contention has been the construction and operation of the Farakka Barrage by India to increase water supply in the River Hooghly. Bangladesh insists that it does not receive a fair share of the Ganges waters during the drier seasons, and gets flooded during the monsoons when India releases excess waters.[ citation needed ]
Deaths of Bangladeshi citizens in the Indo-Bangladesh border became one of the embarrassments between the two nation's bilateral relations in recent years. The so-called "shoot-to-kill" policy by India's Border Security Forces (BSF) [79] that according to Human Rights Watch killed nearly 1,000 Bangladeshis between 2001 and 2011 has remained at the core of the talks between Bangladeshi and Indian officials visiting each other. [80] [81] Indian officials visiting Bangladesh including the Indian foreign ministers and BSF chiefs numerously vowed to stop BSF shootings, but Bangladeshi nationals, comprising mostly illicit border crossers, have continued to be shot dead by the Indian troops. [82]
While anger grew in Bangladesh because of the continued BSF shootings and subsequent deaths, [79] [83] [84] Indian officials argue that heightened security has followed the increasing flow of illegal migrations into India as well as continued misuse of the border by illicit traders. Indian officials, vowing to cut down the number of casualties at border, showed statistics that the number of Bangladeshi deaths was in a steady decline in recent years. [82] The Bangladeshi deaths caused by BSF shootings at the border became subject to a so-called cyber war between the hackers of the two countries that took the websites of BSF, National Informatics Centre and Trinamool Congress as victims. [85] The government of Bangladesh was found to comment on the issue condemning the cyber attacks on Indian websites.
There have also been disputes regarding the transfer of Teen Bigha Corridor to Bangladesh. Part of Bangladesh is surrounded by the Indian state of West Bengal. On 26 June 1992, India leased three bigha land to Bangladesh to connect this enclave with mainland Bangladesh. There was a dispute regarding the indefinite nature of the lease. The dispute was resolved by a mutual agreement between India and Bangladesh in 2011. [86]
Terrorist activities targeting India are carried out by certain terror-outfits based in Bangladesh, like Ansarullah Bangla Team affiliated to Al-Qaeda and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami. [87]
Illegal Bangladeshi immigration into India has also been a major area of contention in the relations. [88] The border is porous and migrants are able to cross illegally, though sometimes only in return for financial or other incentives to border security personnel. [88] Bangladeshi officials have denied the existence of Bangladeshis living in India and those illegal migrants found are described as having been trafficked. [88] This has considerable repercussions for those involved, as they are stigmatized for having been involved in prostitution, whether or not this has actually been the case. Cross border migrants are also at far higher risk of HIV/AIDS infection
Both Bangladesh and India made claims over the same seawater at the Bay of Bengal before settlement of the issue. [89]
There was a minor glitch in their relation when former Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh accidentally mentioned that 25% of Bangladeshis are anti-Indian, during an informal press meet. [90]
President Ershad visited India in 1982. [91] Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited India in 2010 to sign number of deals. [92] Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Dhaka in 2011 to sign number of deals. [93] Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Bangladesh which was historic as land boundary agreement was solved in 2015. [94]
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman, activist and diarist, who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As one of the founding leaders of Bangladesh, he had held continuous positions, Initially he served as the president of the Awami League, later as the president of Bangladesh, and then as the prime minister of Bangladesh until his assassination in August 1975. His nationalist ideology, socio-political theories, and political doctrines are collectively known as Mujibism.
Bangladesh Awami League, simply known as Awami League, is one of the major political parties in Bangladesh. The oldest existing political party in the country, the party played the leading role in achieving the independence of Bangladesh. It is also one of the two most dominant parties in the country, along with its archrival Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Sheikh Hasina is a Bangladeshi politician who served as the tenth prime minister of Bangladesh from June 1996 to July 2001 and again from January 2009 to August 2024. She is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the first president of Bangladesh. She served in the position of prime minister for over 20 years, making her the longest-serving prime minister in history of Bangladesh. Thus, she became the world's longest-serving female head of government. Her authoritarian regime ended in self-imposed exile following an uprising in 2024.
The India–Bangladesh enclaves, also known as the Chiṭmahals and sometimes called Pasha enclaves, were the enclaves along the Bangladesh–India border, in Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya. The main body of Bangladesh contained 102 Indian enclaves, which in turn contained 21 Bangladeshi counter-enclaves, one of which contained Dahala Khagrabari, an Indian counter-counter-enclave, the world's only third-order enclave when it existed. The Indian mainland contained 71 Bangladeshi enclaves, which in turn contained 3 Indian counter-enclaves. A joint census in 2010 found 51,549 people who were residing in these enclaves: 37,334 in Indian enclaves within Bangladesh and 14,215 in Bangladeshi enclaves within India.
The Feni is a river in southeastern Bangladesh and Tripura state of India. It is a trans-boundary river that is the subject of an ongoing dispute about water rights. The Feni River originates in South Tripura district and flows through Sabroom town and then enters Bangladesh. Muhuri River, also called Little Feni, from Noakhali District joins it near its mouth. The river is navigable by small boats as far as Ramgarh, about 80 kilometres (50 mi) upstream.
The 2001 Bangladesh–India border clashes were a series of armed skirmishes between India and Bangladesh in April 2001. The clashes took place between troops of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on the poorly-marked international border between the two countries.
Transport between India and Bangladesh bears much historical and political significance for both countries, which possessed no ground transport links for 43 years, starting with the partition of Bengal and India in 1947. The Kolkata–Dhaka Bus (1999) and the Dhaka–Agartala Bus (2001) are the primary road links between the two countries; a direct Kolkata-Agartala running through Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh is being developed by both countries. The Maitree Express was launched to revive a railway link between Kolkata and Dhaka that had been shut for 43 years.
Bangladesh and Pakistan are both South Asian Muslim-majority countries. Following the end of British rule in India, the two countries formed a single state for 24 years. The Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971 resulted in the secession of East Pakistan as the People's Republic of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized Bangladesh in 1974. Today, bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan are considered to be cordial.
Malaysia has a high commission in Dhaka and Bangladesh one in Kuala Lumpur. Both nations are members of the Commonwealth of Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Developing 8 Countries and the Non-Aligned Movement. Malaysia was one of the first countries to recognise the independence of Bangladesh in 1971.
The Bangladesh–India border, known locally as the Radcliffe line (IB), is an international border running between the republics of Bangladesh and India that demarcates the six divisions of Bangladesh and the Indian states.
The bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Nepal have been progressive since the foundation of Bangladesh in 1971. The two nations are separated by the "Siliguri Corridor" - a 22 kilometres (14 mi) wide stretch of territory of the Indian state of West Bengal that lies between southern Nepal and northern Bangladesh. Both South Asian nations are members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Bay of Bengal Initiative for MultiSectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), and the United Nations (UN).
Colonel (Retd.) Sahibzada Shahid Sarwar Azam FIEB is the current head of the Singranatore family.
Bangladesh–Turkey relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Turkey. Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Turkey has an embassy in Dhaka and Bangladesh has one in Ankara and a consulate in Istanbul.
The Ganges Barrage Project was a proposed project in Bangladesh to hold back rain water of the monsoon season because of the periodic drying up of the Ganges River in Bangladesh due to the Farakka Barrage. It was formally cancelled in 2017.
The Neighbourhood First policy of India is a core component of India's foreign policy. It focuses on peaceful relations and collaborative, synergetic co-development with its South Asian neighbours of the Indian subcontinent encompassing a diverse range of topics, such as economics, technology, research, education, connectivity, the space program, defence security, and addressing environment and climate challenge. This policy creates new avenues while leveraging to the existing regional cooperation initiatives such as SAARC, SASEC, BBIN, and BIMSTEC. It complements India's Look East policy focused on Southeast Asia and Look West Policy focused on Middle East.
Bangladesh–France relations relate to the foreign relationship between Bangladesh and France.
Deaths along the Bangladesh–India border occur many times a year as result of people attempting to illegally cross into India from Bangladesh, for walking along the border, cross border firing and cattle smuggling. Bangladesh and India share a 4,096 km (2,545 mi) border. To prevent smuggling and illegal migration from Bangladesh, the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) exercises its controversial "shoot on sight" policy. Under this policy, the BSF can shoot any person on sight with or without cause. A large portion of the victims are cattle traders and farmers with land near the border.
The Bandhan Express train is an international express rail service which runs between the Indian city Kolkata and the Bangladeshi city Khulna every week. It is the second modern day, fully air conditioned passenger train link between the Indian state West Bengal and Bangladesh. The Bengali word Bandhan means bonding when translated to English. It was initially referred to as the Maitree Express II. A valid visa and passport is required before purchasing a ticket for the Bandhan Express train. Tickets are available at Khulna railway station in Bangladesh and at Chitpur Station in Kolkata, India. The train service is currently paused indefinitely due to political upheaval in Bangladesh since July-August 2024.
The Mitali Express (13131/13132) train is an international express rail service which connects the Indian city of Siliguri with the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka every week. Together with the Maitree Express train and the Bandhan Express train, the Mitali Express train is the third modern-day fully air conditioned passenger train link between the Indian state of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Both the prime ministers of the two neighbouring countries officially inaugurated the non-stop passenger train with ten compartments on the new 513 km route from Dhaka on 26 March 2021, the day Bangladesh celebrated the golden jubilee of its independence. The prime minister of India was in Dhaka to mark the auspicious occasion of fifty years of independence of Bangladesh. After 56 years of stoppage, this train route recreates the previous Siliguri route between India and Bangladesh. A valid visa and passport is required beforehand to purchase a ticket for the Mitali Express train. Tickets are available at Dhaka Kamalapur railway station in Dhaka, Bangladesh and at New Jalpaiguri railway station in Siliguri, India.
Sheikh Hasina's tenure as Prime Minister of Bangladesh began on 23 June 1996, when she assumed office after her party, the Awami League, won the general election, succeeding Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). Her first term lasted until 15 July 2001. She returned to office on 6 January 2009 following her party’s landslide victory in the 2008 general election and had further electoral wins in 2014, 2018 and 2024 general elections, though these elections was widely criticised for lacking transparency, with opposition parties boycotting those elections and international observers alleging vote manipulation and suppression. Her premiership ended in August 2024 following the Student–People's uprising against her government, in which, she resigned and fled to India, marking the conclusion of her 15-year uninterrupted rule.
We've a very special relationship with India. The relationship is the friendliest. The friendship of Bangladesh and India is in our hearts. The bonds of friendship will remain firm and long-lasting," she quoted Bangabandhu as saying in 1972.
India doesn't look at what relationships are there with other countries when it celebrates the "uniqueness" of its "special relationship" with Bangladesh, he said on a day when President Kovind held wide-ranging talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart M Abdul Hamid.
By 1974, Pakistan had recognised Bangladesh, and Mujib ... began participating in the Organization of the Islamic Conference. This, in turn, brought an end to the early positive phase of Bangladesh's relationship with India ... Saudi Arabia to recognise Bangladesh ... Zia's new emphasis on building a stronger Islamic identity in place of the earlier emphasis on an ethnolinguistic foundation. This shift also contributed to the creation of a more anti-Indian domestic political climate ... Ershad's government continued to build on the positive relation that Zia started building with the United States ... Relations with China also continued to remain close, but unlike Zia, Ershad did not make any effort to maintain friendly relations with the Soviet Union.
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