India now wants Bangladesh to resolve all issues through participatory elections

India on Friday expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Bangladesh, particularly with regard to the safety of minorities, reports Indian news agency ANI.

In a weekly briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect Hindus and other minorities, as well as their properties and religious institutions, it added.

“We have repeatedly underlined that it is the responsibility of the interim government of Bangladesh to protect the Hindus and other minorities, as well as their properties and religious institutions,” said Jaiswal.

Jaiswal noted that over 2374 incidents were reported between 5 August 2024, and 16 February 2025, but the police verified only 1,254 of them. Moreover, 98 per cent of these incidents were deemed “political in nature.”

“We expect Bangladesh to thoroughly investigate and bring all perpetrators of killings, arson, and violence to justice without making such distinctions,” said Jaiswal.

He also raised concern over the release of violent extremists sentenced for serious crimes, which has exacerbated the deteriorating law and order situation.

Meanwhile, India reiterated its last few months position, supporting for a stable, peaceful, inclusive, and progressive Bangladesh, where issues are resolved through democratic means and inclusive elections.

Responding to the formation of a new party in Bangladesh, the National Citizen Party (NCP), Jaiswal said, “We support a stable, peaceful, inclusive and progressive Bangladesh in which all issues are resolved through democratic means and by holding inclusive and participatory elections. We remain concerned about the deteriorating law & order situation, further exacerbated by the release of violent extremists who were sentenced for serious crimes.”

NCP, the new political party, is aiming to target the younger generation as they are the majority of Bangladesh’s total population.

According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS), about 57 per cent of the country’s population is under 29 years of age, with the highest number of these being 15 to 19 year olds.

It could be mentioned here, India earlier did not seek so strongly participatory elections. Rather, the country said about constitutional legality while supporting the 2014 election, which was not competitive, the 2018 election, where voting took place in the night-time, and the “dummy” candidates’ election in 2024. New Delhi extended its support to the government formed by Bangladesh Awami League in all the three elections.

Later, in August 2024, a student-led movement ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after weeks of protests and violence. According to a UN fact-finding assessment report, as many as 1,400 people could have been killed during the protests. Hasina, 76, fled to India, and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was subsequently formed.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is likely to visit Bangladesh in mid-March amid political tensions in the South Asian country.

Earlier, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said that Bangladesh’s sovereignty will be in jeopardy if people do not set aside their differences and stop slinging mud at each other.

Randhir Jaiswal also on Friday underscored that development cooperation remains a priority area in India-Bangladesh relations, another ANI report said.

During the weekly briefing, the MEA spokesperson said that India and Bangladesh are strengthening their ties through development cooperation, with a focus on implementing mutually agreed-upon projects in a timely manner.

According to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, development cooperation is a priority area in their relations, despite recent security situations and local issues affecting project implementation.

To address these challenges, official discussions concentrated on rationalising the project portfolio and executing projects efficiently. India plans to move forward with these projects, pending support and clearances from Bangladesh.

“Development cooperation is a priority area of our relations with the people of Bangladesh. The recent security situation and long-standing local issues have affected the pace of implementation of some of these projects. The official discussions, therefore, focused on rationalising the project portfolio and executing mutually agreed-upon projects in a time-bound manner. Subject to obtaining the committed support and pending clearances from the Bangladesh side, we plan to move forward with these projects,” said Jaiswal.

In another significant development, the 86th meeting of the Joint Committee overseeing the Ganga Water Treaty was held in Kolkata.

This routine technical meeting, scheduled thrice annually, aimed to discuss technical issues related to the treaty, water flow measurements, and mutual interests.

The Ganga Water Treaty, signed in 1996, highlights the importance of cooperation between India and Bangladesh in managing shared water resources. These efforts demonstrate the commitment of both nations to strengthening their relationship and advancing mutual development.

“The 86th meeting of the Joint Committee constituted to oversee the implementation of the Ganga Water Treaty between India and Bangladesh was held on 6 March 2025, in Kolkata. This routine technical meeting, which is scheduled thrice annually, is part of an institutional structured mechanism associated with the implementation of the Treaty signed in 1996. At the meeting, the two sides discussed technical issues pertaining to the Ganga Water Treaty, the measurement of water flows and other issues of mutual interest,” said Jaiswal.

Officials said a technical delegation from Bangladesh went to Kolkata on Monday earlier this week to discuss the sharing of water resources between Bangladesh and India.

They said the 12-member Bangladesh delegation, led by Muhammad Abul Hossen, a member of the Joint River Commission (JRC), is expected to observe the flow of the Ganges at Farakka until 5 March morning.

Thereafter, the delegation returned to Kolkata for a two-day meeting at the Hyatt Regency hotel, under the aegis of the India-Bangladesh Joint River Commission.

Meetings between India and Bangladesh discussed the implementation of the Ganges Agreement and various technical issues of the common rivers,” Kazi Shahidur Rahman, Executive Engineer of JRC, told ANI over the phone.

“The delegation will return to Dhaka on 8 March,” he added.

The Ganges is one of the 54 rivers shared by India and Bangladesh. Long-standing differences over its water sharing were resolved with the signing of the Ganges Water Treaty on 12 December 1996, by then-Indian Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and his then-Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina.

The Treaty was to remain in force for 30 years and was renewable by mutual consent. As per the Department of Water Resources, a Joint Committee was set up to monitor its implementation.

The treaty is due for renewal in 2026. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to play a crucial role in the efforts to renew the Ganges water-sharing treaty.

Meanwhile, Banerjee continues to oppose the Teesta River water-sharing treaty despite India and Bangladesh agreeing on its text in 2011. Notably, during the monsoon season, a system of transmission of flood forecasting data exists on major rivers like Ganga, Teesta, Brahmputra, and Barak from India to Bangladesh.

The transmission of flood forecasting information during the monsoon has enabled the civil and military authorities in Bangladesh to shift the population affected by floods to safer places, as stated by the ministry.