Indian dailies say BNP's win offers hope for stability, reset in Dhaka-Delhi ties, but caution about Hasina, Jamaat factors
The Indian Express, however, claimed that the fact that Jamaat does not have enough seats to shape governance "should mitigate domestic and regional anxieties about the rise of radical forces"
Leading Indian dailies today (14 February) editorially commented on the BNP's victory in the 13th national election in Bangladesh by saying it offers the hope for restoring political stability in the country and a reset in ties with India, which had reportedly reached the nadir during the tenure of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
The editorials framed the BNP's return to power in two distinct parts:
- How is it going to impact domestic politics in Bangladesh in view of Jamaat-e-Islami's best electoral performance.
- How it will reshape relations with India, on which there is consensus that former prime minister Hasina's continued presence there will be a key factor.
At least two newspaper editorials also suggested that the new BNP government should bring about a reconciliation with the activities-banned Awami League.
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The Indian Express
"The sweeping victory of the Tarique Rahman-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) could bring much-needed stability to the country, especially because voters have also endorsed constitutional reforms in a referendum held along with the elections to Parliament," said the editorial in The Indian Express.
It added, "The high-stakes election was held amid rising extremism under Muhammad Yunus's watch, a weakening economy, and deteriorating ties with India. The Jamaat-e-Islami, by all accounts one of the biggest gainers of the 2024 Gen-Z uprising, is a distant second."
The Indian Express, however, claimed that the fact that Jamaat does not have enough seats to shape governance "should mitigate domestic and regional anxieties about the rise of radical forces."
"The decisive mandate, instead, suggests that the architecture of Dhaka's politics, long defined by the Awami League-BNP duopoly, is intact – though the ban on the AL cast a shadow over the polls," The Indian Express opined.
According to the editorial, the new government in Bangladesh "will have its work cut out in containing extremism and protecting minorities, especially the Hindu community."
It said Tarique has pledged religious freedom and communal harmony, but the true test will lie in enforcement.
"Equally critical is reconciliation. AL members have faced widespread violence after Hasina's departure. There is no denying that the former PM was widely seen as an autocrat and her highhandedness proved to be her downfall. But [Tarique] Rahman should realise that a winner-takes-all approach will harm democracy in Bangladesh. Its new leader would do well to see the merits of generosity and forge a consensus on the terms under which the AL can return to the political fold," The Indian Express editorial said.
The Hindu
The editorial in "The Hindu" newspaper said that as the first elected government since Hasina's ouster, "the first order of business will be to restore old political institutions and effect a political reconciliation. This could mean releasing political prisoners and an outreach to the banned Awami League, many of whose supporters did not vote."
"The next will be to prepare for the challenge from the Jamaat-e-Islami, whose coalition won about 75 seats in Parliament, its best performance yet. As a more vocal opposition now, the Jamaat, whose leaders have pitched a regressive line on women's rights and for religious politics, will try and push the new centrist government to the right," it said.
"Voters have also emphatically supported the 'July Charter' referendum that calls for a caretaker government, reforms that could shift the powers of the prime minister, and an upper house in parliament with proportional representation," noted The Hindu editorial.
It suggested Tarique "hit the ground running on reviving the economy and restoring trade links with India."
The Hindu also noted that India's Modi government "has had tensions with the BNP as it reduced engagement with the opposition in Bangladesh during Hasina's tenure" and said India's outreach to the new government in Dhaka is important and "must also take back the space ceded to Pakistan, the US and China which have each forged new relations with Bangladesh since Hasina's ouster."
"In Bangladesh, securing India's missions and ensuring the safety of minorities will be essential. For India, it is necessary to dial down the domestic rhetoric against Bangladesh, that is allowing political groups (many are affiliated to the ruling party) to threaten Bangladeshis in India," it said.
According to The Hindu, the Modi and Tarique governments "will have to move most delicately, however, in managing the issue of Ms Hasina, who remains a wanted fugitive in Dhaka and an honoured guest in Delhi, if they are intent on a fresh start in ties."
The immediate question is whether Tarique Rahman "will recast BNP's approach or revert to the tenor of 2001–2006 when India–Bangladesh ties sank to one of their lowest points."
The editorial added, "Here, the Jamaat factor adds uncertainty."
Additionally, The Hindu wrote that a "future alignment between the two parties [BNP and Jamaat] cannot be ruled out; their grassroots networks, including student wings, have long worked in tandem. Such a partnership would severely complicate New Delhi's calculations."
Hindustan Times
Further, the editorial in the Hindustan Times said India will be "relieved" that the student-led NCP, which has been antagonistic towards India, has not been able to translate its role in the street mobilisation into electoral success."
It said since Jamaat has emerged as the main opposition, it remains to be seen if it "pushes for more radical politics" because "what Jamaat does and how the BNP responds will have implications for the 10% minority Hindu population in Bangladesh, and by consequence, on Dhaka's ties with New Delhi."
The Hindustan Times editorial also said how the new government in Bangladesh engages with the AL "will be keenly watched" because the party remains a force in that country.
"BNP's India lens is bound to be influenced by the Awami League's actions," it said, adding, "The BNP's Bangladesh First agenda was basically a framework that subtly accused the AL of privileging Indian interests over Bangladesh's concerns."
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first to congratulate BNP chief Tarique Rahman, who is set to be the next premier, signalling India's desire to move quickly on rebuilding relations after a stormy interregnum under the interim administration led by Yunus.
The BNP leadership, too, has said it wants cordial ties with India and will not privilege or discriminate against any country.
Times of India
Another editorial, in The Times of India, said, "India's interests in Bangladesh are clear and interlinked: transit, stability in the Northeast and security cooperation. Sheikh Hasina delivered on all three — granting transit access to the Northeast, acting against insurgent groups on Bangladeshi soil, and limiting Pakistan's strategic space. If Tarique proves similarly attentive to these sensitivities, there is no structural reason bilateral relations cannot remain constructive."
It added, "No doubt the Hasina factor will linger [in India-Bangladesh ties], but governing in reaction to the past would be short-sighted. Playing the China or Pakistan card may offer tactical leverage for Dhaka, but it would be strategically risky."
The daily added, "It is also a moment for India to recalibrate. What the moment demands is not nostalgia from India or score-settling by Bangladesh but a pragmatic reset grounded in shared interests."
