Bangladesh heads to the polls next week in its first election since Sheikh Hasina’s ouster. The manifestos of the main contenders—the BNP and Jamaat—are being closely watched in New Delhi for signals on how relations with India might evolve.
With just a week left before Bangladesh goes to the polls — its first election since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina — the country’s two major political forces have outlined their foreign policy visions, including their approach towards India if they come to power.
For New Delhi, the vote carries unusually high stakes, as ties under interim chief Muhammad Yunus have plunged to an all-time low. Amid rising anti-India rhetoric and attacks on Hindus, the manifestos of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami are being closely watched in India.
From Hasina to Yunus: A sharp shift
For over a decade, India invested heavily in its relationship with the Awami League under Hasina, who fled to India in 2024 during student-led protests. As prime minister, Hasina kept Pakistan at bay while carefully balancing relations with China. That equilibrium changed under Yunus, whose interim administration reset ties with Pakistan and gave political space to radical Islamist elements that have repeatedly targeted India.
BNP seen as a cautious alternative
Against this backdrop, the BNP — earlier led by Hasina’s rival Khaleda Zia and now headed by her son Tarique Rahman — is being viewed in Delhi as a relatively liberal and democratic option, despite a history of strained India–BNP relations.
Unveiling the BNP manifesto on Friday under the slogan Shobar Aage Bangladesh (Bangladesh First), Rahman said his party would treat other countries as friends, not “masters”, signalling that Bangladesh would not act as a proxy for any external power. Addressing a large gathering in Dhaka after returning from a 17-year exile in December, Rahman said foreign relations would be guided by equality and self-respect.
“Bangladesh shall not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries, and will not accept interference in its own affairs,” he said.
Reassurance amid India’s security concerns
Rahman’s remarks carry weight amid recent provocative statements by Bangladeshi leaders on India’s vulnerable Siliguri Corridor, or Chicken’s Neck, and the landlocked nature of the northeast. Last year, Yunus drew sharp criticism from New Delhi during a visit to China when he described northeast India as “landlocked” and claimed Bangladesh was the region’s “only guardian of the ocean”, while urging Beijing to expand its influence there. India viewed the comments as interference in its internal affairs — something Rahman’s assurances seek to distance the BNP from.
Rahman has also repeatedly underlined that a BNP-led government would align with neither India nor Pakistan. “Not Dilli, not Pindi, Bangladesh before everything,” he has said.
Jamaat signals softer line on India
Jamaat-e-Islami, meanwhile, took a more explicit position on India in its manifesto, released on Wednesday by party president Shafiqur Rahman. The document pledged to build “peaceful, friendly and cooperative” relations with India, notably without mentioning Pakistan.
“Peaceful, friendly and cooperative relations will be built with India, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Thailand, based on mutual respect and fairness,” the manifesto said.
The reference marks a departure from Jamaat’s earlier rhetoric. The party, which was banned and cracked down on during Hasina’s rule, has long been viewed as close to Pakistan’s ISI and had supported Pakistan during the 1971 war. While Pakistan is absent from the manifesto, Jamaat said it would prioritise ties with Muslim-majority countries and seek constructive relations with the US, the European Union, Japan, the UK and Canada.
Tight race ahead
Opinion polls suggest a close contest, with most giving the BNP a narrow edge. Jamaat is close behind, buoyed by victories in student elections across five key universities, including Dhaka University.
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