Strong diplomacy need not close the door to cooperation with India
Professor ASM Ali Ashraf argues that while Bangladesh’s strong diplomatic response to India’s perceived support for exiled Awami League leaders is necessary, it should not come at the expense of bilateral cooperation
Support for political leaders in exile has long been a widely accepted practice by countries and governments around the world. So, one is hardly surprised by India's tacit policy of facilitating Hasina's press conference while publicly denying any responsibility for it.
This ambiguous diplomatic stance serves two purposes: officially it allows denying any responsibility to avoid diplomatic condemnation, while unofficially and privately, it makes an effort to convince the exiled Awami League leaders and their political party that India remains supportive of Awami League and its leader Sheikh Hasina.
This is also consistent with India's longstanding stance that the regime change in Bangladesh in August 2025 was more of a result of external conspiracy than legitimate political dissent and spontaneous mass uprising.
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The Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affair's press release is very strongly worded. This perhaps indicates that Bangladesh is dealing with a psychological war in which a strong diplomatic response is considered "proportionate" to India's cunning diplomacy.
Also, one should be aware that this diplomatic protest will not shut down the door of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. While bilateral trade relations will continue to flourish between Dhaka and Delhi, Dhaka will need to be prepared to deal with Delhi's covert support for Awami League leaders in exile, and engage Delhi in constructive dialogues to normalise relations.
ASM Ali Ashraf is a professor and chairman of the Department of International Relations, University of Dhaka.
