The recent visit by Bangladesh’s leader, Muhammad Yunus, to China has underscored the challenges that New Delhi faces in resetting ties with Dhaka. In Beijing, Mr Yunus met the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, and the two leaders signed a range of agreements. Mr Xi promised Bangladesh assistance from China in fields such as infrastructure development and water conservation — the South Asian nation is among the world’s most vulnerable to climate change. Mr Yunus, on his part, sought Chinese investment, including, in controversial comments, assistance to develop port infrastructure to help India’s northeastern states access the sea through Bangladesh. Mr Yunus’s visit and the thrust of his conversation with Mr Xi are not surprising. China has long been Bangladesh’s biggest trading partner; Sheikh Hasina, who strengthened Dhaka’s ties with both Beijing and New Delhi, had also visited Mr Xi just weeks before she had to flee her country. However, what makes Mr Yunus’s trip particularly significant is the context of Bangladesh’s troubled ties with India and some tension in its relations with the Donald Trump administration in the United States of America.
Officials in Mr Yunus’s government have claimed that the head of Bangladesh’s interim government had wanted to visit India first but that he did not receive a positive response from New Delhi. While the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not confirmed or denied that claim, the underlying tensions between New Delhi and Dhaka are no secret. The Indian government believes Dhaka has done too little to curb violence against religious minorities. New Delhi is also worried about the growing influence wielded by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami — groups that have long been critical of India’s role in Bangladesh. Dhaka, meanwhile, is upset about New Delhi continuing to host Ms Hasina. Unlike the former US president, Joe Biden, Mr Trump and his team have also been critical of the new Bangladesh government’s rule, especially on minority rights. These developments may incentivise Dhaka to lean more towards Beijing. Still, Bangladesh’s leaders would be
wise to try and balance ties with regional and global powers and avoid burning bridges with New Delhi or Washington. India must also avoid rocking the bilateral relationship so far that it rips beyond repair.
