New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his congratulations to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Friday following its landslide victory in the nation’s landmark general elections, as New Delhi moves to stabilise a partnership strained by months of diplomatic friction.

The BNP’s decisive win in Thursday’s vote marks the first democratic transition since the 2024 uprising that ended the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina. Hasina, a longtime Indian ally, fled to India in August 2024 after her government collapsed, and she remains there despite extradition demands from Dhaka.

Hailing the "decisive victory" of the BNP and its chairman, 60-year-old Tarique Rahman, Modi stated on social media that the result "shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership." He added, "India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh."

A New Era in Dhaka

According to the Election Commission, the BNP-led alliance secured 212 seats in the Jatiya Sangsad, a commanding two-thirds majority. Its nearest competitor, the Islamist-aligned Jamaat-e-Islami bloc, trailed with 77 seats. Rahman, the son of former President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, is expected to be sworn in as Prime Minister after nearly two decades of his party being out of power.

In a separate statement, Modi confirmed he had spoken with Rahman via telephone to offer his best wishes. "As two close neighbours with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, I reaffirmed India's continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples," the Prime Minister posted on X.

Diplomatic Hurdles

The congratulatory message comes at a critical juncture for bilateral relations, which have frayed significantly over the past year.

  • Extradition Tensions: Dhaka's interim administration has repeatedly clashed with Delhi over its refusal to return Hasina to face trial.
  • Minority Rights: New Delhi has frequently voiced concerns over what it describes as "unremitting hostility" against Bangladesh’s Hindu minority, claims Dhaka has dismissed as exaggerated.
  • Cricket Standoff: Relations deteriorated further when a Bangladeshi player was removed from the Indian Premier League following protests by right-wing Hindu groups. In response, Bangladesh withdrew from the ongoing T20 World Cup in India, citing security fears.

Adding to the complexity, the outgoing interim government had already begun pivoting away from Delhi, resuming direct flights to Pakistan in January for the first time in over a decade. Analysts suggest that Modi’s immediate outreach to Rahman represents a calculated effort to ensure that regional security and trade interests are not further compromised by the political shift.

With inputs from AFP