HISTORIC TIES
Hasina’s links to India predate her 15-year rule, and New Delhi’s ties to Dhaka are as old as Bangladesh itself.
In 1971, India fought a war with Pakistan to help liberate Bangladesh from its rule. Aside from military support, India also took in millions of refugees.
Bangladesh’s founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman – who is also Hasina’s father – later said that Dhaka would never forget India’s assistance.
But observers in Bangladesh said this special historical relationship no longer guarantees New Delhi special treatment.
They noted that the new government in Dhaka will be seeking to broaden its regional engagements and could look to China or Pakistan – both of which have ongoing border disputes with India.
“Given the relationship between China and Pakistan, that nexus operating in our neighbourhood which is so close to us, cannot be good news for us,” said Das, who served as ambassador in 2019.