'Ties With India Witnessed Setback During Yunus Regime': Bangladesh Official

Bangladesh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain Thursday admitted that ties with India witnessed a "setback" during the interim regime led by Muhammad Yunus, but hoped that the relations could be restored under an elected government following the general elections scheduled for next week.

"The relations faced some setbacks during the interim government, but they (ties) remained important," he told reporters at a media briefing a week ahead of the elections, the first since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led government in a mass protest in August 2024.

Hossain, a former career diplomat who served as the deputy high commissioner in India as well, expressed optimism that the next elected government would be able to make the relationship smoother, finding some ways.

The Yunus-led interim government was installed after the ouster of Hasina's Awami League regime in a student-led violent protest - dubbed as the July Uprising - on August 5, 2024. Since then, the 78-year-old leader has been living in India.

A special Bangladeshi tribunal last year sentenced Hasina to death, accusing her of committing crimes against humanity through her efforts to brutally tame the protests, while Dhaka repeatedly demanded her extradition to face justice.

Asked if India continued to refuse to return her, would the next government be able to rebuild ties with New Delhi, Hossain said, "Don't be pessimists".

Bangladesh-India relations are said to have witnessed their lowest ebb in the past 18 months when Dhaka's ties with Pakistan saw a remarkable development through political, trade and defence engagements.

Hossain's comments came hours after youth and sports adviser Asif Nazrul thanked Islamabad for its decision to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India on February 15 to protest Bangladesh's removal from the tournament.

"Thank you, Pakistan," Nazrul said on a Facebook post sharing Sharif's remarks and expressing his gratitude.

Hossain acknowledged that bilateral progress stalled in several areas but called the situation "not a major crisis" and rather a “period without forward movement".

He said, "differing perceptions of national interests" between India and Bangladesh contributed to the slowdown as each side pursued its own priorities, which did not always synchronise.

Hossain, however, said the interim government advanced key negotiations, including trade talks with the United States and other partners, to ease the workload of the next elected government.

He said the interim government, which is expected to end its 18-month rule after the February 12 election, was “not leaving behind unresolved burdens” and instead pushed forward several important issues to ensure continuity.

He said Bangladesh has remained actively engaged in discussions, helping reduce tariffs from earlier levels of 25 to 37 per cent to 20 per cent, while tariffs for India and Pakistan stand at 18 per cent.

"Achieving such a reduction would complete a major task in advance for the next government,” he added.

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