Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is on a visit to Delhi after almost three years. A year before the elections, many discussions are going on on the importance of this visit of Sheikh Hasina for the politics of Awami League. When many questions were raised regarding the last two elections i.e. 2014 and 2018 elections, then India stood with the Awami League. During its 13 consecutive years in power, the Awami League has given India access or transit-transshipment access to the sensitive Chittagong and Mongla ports for Bangladesh. But the big issues which are related to the interest of Bangladesh are not being resolved. The proposed agreement on sharing of Teesta river water has been in limbo for a long time. On the other hand, despite India’s trust, the process of killing people in the border areas is not stopping. This is the reason why this time there is a deep analysis in political circles on the question of expectations and possible gains from the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s visit to India.
India-Bangladesh Relations
Many analysts say that there has been a lot of criticism in the past for not addressing issues related to Bangladesh’s interests. For this reason, the current journey of Sheikh Hasina is very important from the political point of view for her government and the Awami League. However, the Dhaka-based Foreign Ministry is not ready to see the top leader’s visit from a political point of view. But talks with several senior leaders of the government and the Awami League have led to a feeling that they are also eyeing the political significance of the visit.
There is also political accounting in the national tour Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had earlier visited India for the last time in October 2019. After that, in March 2021, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi visited Dhaka on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh’s independence and the Mujib Centenary Year. The Dhaka-based Foreign Ministry has said that Sheikh Hasina is on a return visit or counter-visit to India only at the invitation of Modi. Minister of State for External Affairs Shaharyar Alam is not ready to see this visit from a political point of view for the party or government of the ruling Awami League. But he is giving a lot of importance to this Indian tour of Sheikh Hasina.
