India sees Khaleda’s vision on Dhaka-Delhi knot

Diplomatic Correspondent :

India on Wednesday expressed confidence that the vision and values of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia will continue to guide the development of Dhaka-Delhi relations.

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar made the remarks after meeting BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in the afternoon, where he handed over an official condolence message from the Indian government.

“Expressed confidence that Begum Khaleda Zia’s vision and values will guide the development of our partnership,” Jaishankar wrote on his verified Facebook page after the meeting.
He said that upon arriving in Dhaka, he met Tarique Rahman, acting chairman of the BNP and son of the late former prime minister, and handed over a personal letter from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jaishankar added that he conveyed the “deepest condolences on behalf of the government and people of India.”
About the meeting, BNP, in a statement posted on its verified Facebook page, said neighboring India sent a condolence message expressing “deep respect” at the death of Begum Khaleda Zia, hailing her as the “Mother of Democracy” and a “symbol of courage and struggle,” and describing her as an uncompromising leader committed to safeguarding Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty. After formally handing over the condolence message, Jaishankar attended the funeral of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia as the representative of the Indian government.

Earlier in the day, the Indian external affairs minister Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka on a special flight at around 11:30am to attend the funeral.

Bangladesh-India relations during the rule of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), particularly under Begum Khaleda Zia’s leadership, evolved through phases of tension, recalibration, and cautious engagement.
Analysts say the relationship during that period was shaped largely by regional security concerns, water-sharing disputes, and differing political priorities.

Khaleda Zia served as prime minister three times – from 1991 to 1996, briefly in February-June 1996, and again from 2001 to 2006 – a period marked by major shifts in South Asian geopolitics.
Her governments emphasised Bangladesh’s sovereignty, balanced diplomacy, and regional neutrality, an approach that at times contrasted with India’s strategic expectations.
Following the fall of military rule in 1990, Khaleda Zia led Bangladesh’s return to parliamentary democracy. During her first term, relations with India remained guarded.
While diplomatic engagement continued, unresolved issues such as the Teesta river water-sharing agreement, border management, and trade imbalances limited deeper cooperation.
The BNP government maintained that all bilateral agreements must protect Bangladesh’s national interest, a stance that enjoyed domestic support but occasionally led to friction with New Delhi.
Security concerns came to the fore during the 2001-2006 BNP-led government, when India raised allegations of cross-border militancy and insurgent movement along the Bangladesh-India border.
Dhaka consistently denied the claims, calling for mutual respect and evidence-based dialogue.
Border killings of Bangladeshi nationals by India’s Border Security Force (BSF) also became a sensitive issue, triggering strong reactions from the BNP government and civil society and periodically straining relations. Water-sharing disputes, particularly over the Teesta River, remained unresolved throughout Khaleda Zia’s tenure, fueling public dissatisfaction in Bangladesh.
Trade relations were also marked by imbalance, with Dhaka seeking wider access for Bangladeshi exports to the Indian market.
Despite these challenges, both sides continued limited cooperation in areas such as transit discussions, trade facilitation, and people-to-people contacts.
Under Khaleda Zia, Bangladesh followed a foreign policy of “friendship to all, malice to none,” strengthening ties with China, Pakistan, Middle Eastern countries, and Western nations alongside India.
Analysts note that this multi-directional diplomacy sometimes made New Delhi uneasy, which preferred a more India-centric regional alignment.
Assessing the period, political analysts say Bangladesh-India relations under Khaleda Zia were neither frozen nor fully aligned, but defined by negotiation, strategic caution, and unresolved disputes.
As Bangladesh and India look to the future, Indian leaders’ recent remarks suggest that Khaleda Zia’s political legacy and guiding principles continue to be viewed in New Delhi as a reference point in shaping the evolving bilateral partnership.