- India–Bangladesh relations have become strained mainly due to trade imbalances, border tensions, and political shifts in Dhaka.
- One is India's asylum to former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina who is now convicted of many crimes in her home country and Bangladesh is demanding her extradition.
- Bangladesh has long complained about a large trade deficit with India and the non-renewal of duty-free access for some exports after its graduation from LDC status. India’s restrictions on onion exports, which hurt Bangladeshi markets, also created resentment.
- On the security front, recurring incidents of border killings by India’s BSF, illegal cattle smuggling networks, and infiltration concerns have added friction.
- Politically, after Sheikh Hasina’s exit in 2024, the new government has taken a more nationalist and anti-India tone, while strengthening ties with China, especially in infrastructure, defence, and technology.
- Bangladeshis also feel that India was slow on resolving key issues like the Teesta water-sharing agreement, which remains a major grievance.
- Rising anti-Hindu violence in Bangladesh and India’s public criticism of it further deepened mistrust. Collectively, these economic, geopolitical, and domestic factors have made bilateral ties more complicated and less friendly than before.
1. Interim Government means:
An Interim Government is a temporary or caretaker government formed for a short period, usually between the fall of an elected government and the next elections. Its main role is to run day-to-day administration, maintain law and order, and conduct free and fair elections, not to take major long-term policy decisions.
2. How is the Prime Minister elected in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh is a parliamentary democracy where citizens elect members of the Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament). The Parliament has a total of 350 seats, out of which 300 seats are directly elected by voters through general elections. The remaining 50 seats are reserved for women and are filled through proportional representation by elected Members of Parliament. To form the government, a party or coalition must secure at least 151 seats. The leader of the majority party becomes the Prime Minister, who is formally appointed by the President of Bangladesh.