India parliamentary report recommends rebuilding ties with Bangladesh

Describing Bangladesh as "extremely important" within the framework of India's foreign policy, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs of the India’s Lok Sabha (lower house) has advised the Indian government to rebuild relations with Bangladesh's new government.

It has recommended that India continue to support a democratic, stable, peaceful, people-centric and inclusive Bangladesh. The committee has also stressed the importance of advancing bilateral ties on the basis of the spirit of 1971 and mutual respect.

Last year, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs submitted a report on the future of India-Bangladesh relations. The report contained several recommendations aimed at strengthening bilateral ties after reviewing all aspects of the relationship.

The central government has since informed the committee in detail of the measures it has taken in line with those recommendations. Those updates were incorporated into a comprehensive report tabled in the Lok Sabha last Thursday. It is in that report that the committee recommended rebuilding relations with Bangladesh's new government.

The parliamentary committee, chaired by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, had also sought information regarding former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in the mass uprising and fled to India. In response, the government in New Delhi said Bangladesh's request for Sheikh Hasina's extradition is being examined by the competent authorities in accordance with existing laws and established procedures.

Following the fall of the Awami League government during the student-led mass uprising in Bangladesh in 2024, diplomatic relations between Dhaka and New Delhi became strained.

After one and a half years under the interim government, the BNP formed the government through elections held in February this year, with Tarique Rahman becoming prime minister.

The parliamentary committee welcomed the new government formed through the elections under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. The report described as positive the participation of the Speaker of India's Lok Sabha in the prime minister's swearing-in ceremony, the Indian prime minister's personal message of congratulations, and the invitation extended to Tarique Rahman to visit India at a mutually convenient time.

The committee advised Narendra Modi's government to take advantage of Bangladesh's current political situation to rebuild and further strengthen bilateral relations. It also recommended urgent initiatives to resolve all outstanding issues while giving due importance to mutual interests and sensitivities.

The committee hoped that the establishment of an elected and representative government would restore stability in Bangladesh, strengthen democracy and usher in a new chapter in India-Bangladesh bilateral relations.

The committee emphasised that one of the key foundations of India-Bangladesh relations should be regular interaction and exchanges between the parliaments of the two countries.

With Bangladesh's new parliament and government now in office, it said India's Ministry of External Affairs should take active steps to arrange reciprocal visits by parliamentary delegations in the near future and institutionalise such exchanges on a regular basis.

The parliamentary committee also urged New Delhi to maintain continuous diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh's political parties, civil society and other stakeholders, while actively countering anti-India narratives and preventing the spread of misinformation.

Sheikh Hasina's stay in India was also discussed by the standing committee. After Bangladesh sentenced her to death in absentia, the government requested her return. The committee had asked the government to brief it on the matter.

In its response, the government said the matter is being examined by the "appropriate authorities." According to the committee, India's decision to host Sheikh Hasina and its approach to the issue are guided by "the spirit of civilisation and humanitarian tradition."

The Bangladesh government has repeatedly requested India to extradite Sheikh Hasina. The issue has also repeatedly been raised during media briefings held by India's Ministry of External Affairs. The Indian government has consistently maintained that the extradition request is under consideration.

Amid this situation, Sheikh Hasina recently told a foreign media outlet that she plans to return to Bangladesh in December. However, Bangladesh Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman has already stated that Hasina, who has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, will be arrested if she returns to the country.

While staying in India, Sheikh Hasina has been holding virtual discussions with party leaders, and statements have continued to be issued in her name. She has also given interviews to various media outlets.

However, the Indian government has claimed that Sheikh Hasina has not been allowed to engage in any political activities. The report presented in the Lok Sabha states that India has made it clear that Sheikh Hasina has not been allowed to use any political platform or Indian territory to conduct political activities.

The parliamentary committee has expressed concern over China's growing influence in Bangladesh in areas including infrastructure development and defence cooperation.

The committee's report says the recent visit to China by a delegation from Jamaat-e-Islami indicates Beijing's expanding engagement with various political actors in Bangladesh.

The committee advised the Indian government to closely monitor the activities of foreign powers in Bangladesh. In response, the government informed the parliamentary committee that the matter remains under close observation and that all necessary measures are taken to safeguard India's national interests.

The deterioration in Bangladesh-India relations following the mass uprising also affected visa services. The Parliamentary Standing Committee believes that restoring normal visa operations would be one of the most effective ways to improve bilateral relations.

The committee recommended that the government normalise visa issuance, saying prolonged visa restrictions would prevent bilateral relations from returning to normal. It warned that people-to-people ties would suffer and become an obstacle to improving relations.

The committee therefore advised the government that, while maintaining necessary security measures, it should restore normal visa services as quickly as possible in the interest of rebuilding mutual trust and confidence. It also proposed introducing a bilateral consular cooperation mechanism for visa processing.

The government informed the committee that around 1,500 visas are still being issued every day, of which about 80 per cent are medical visas. It said visa issuance would gradually increase as the security situation and other conditions returned to normal.

India's newly appointed High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dinesh Trivedi, also recently said that India is moving to restore normal visa processing at the earliest opportunity.

The parliamentary committee also emphasised the need to strengthen security along the unfenced sections of the India-Bangladesh border. It recommended using technology in areas where constructing barbed-wire fencing is not feasible, in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the respective state governments.

The committee suggested adopting floating barriers, laser-based intrusion detection systems and smart sensors in difficult terrain and densely populated areas to prevent illegal crossings.

The Indian government informed the committee that the Border Security Force (BSF) has proposed several innovations in these areas and that they are currently being tested.