‘New phase’: India eyes Bangladesh thaw with BNP before elections

Al JazeeraCenterEN 8 min read 100% complete by Yashraj SharmaJanuary 6, 2026 at 08:03 AM

AI Summary

long article 8 min

In advance of upcoming elections in Bangladesh, India is attempting to improve its historically strained relationship with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). This shift was signaled by a recent meeting in Dhaka between India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the BNP and son of the late former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Jaishankar conveyed condolences from the Indian government and expressed confidence in Zia's vision, a notable departure from India's past opposition to the BNP. The BNP's long-standing alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, a group advocating closer ties with Pakistan, had previously fueled India's distrust. This potential thaw comes as India has historically favored Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Sheikh Hasina 40% Pakistan 40% Awami League 40% Jamaat-e-Islami 45% Narendra Modi 50% Khaleda Zia ×670% Tarique Rahman ×275% Subrahmanyam Jaishankar ×480% Bangladesh ×780% Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) ×585% India ×990%

Keywords

bnp 90% india bangladesh relations 90% bangladesh elections 80% political thaw 70% khaleda zia 70% tarique rahman 70% india foreign policy 60% awami league 50% sheikh hasina 50% jamaat-e-islami 40%