Diplomatic tension increased between Bangladesh and India, sourness will come in the year 2025
Dhaka. Battling political instability, economic pressure and allegations of minority persecution, Bangladesh’s relations with India declined this year and diplomatic tensions between the two neighbors increased. Relations soured after then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power following anti-government protests in August last year and she fled to India.
A tribunal this year sentenced Hasina to death in absentia for her alleged role in a violent crackdown during protests. Dhaka summoned Indian High Commissioner Prannoy Verma five times on various issues, while India summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Riyaz Hamidullah once and expressed concern over the security situation in his country.
The change from the widely considered “India-friendly” Awami League government to an interim government led by Mohammad Yunus significantly changed Bangladesh’s diplomatic stance. At the same time, Dhaka’s initiative to deepen relations with Islamabad made the regional equations more complex.
According to experts, the limited interest of major global powers with the Yunus-led interim government made Bangladesh’s situation more difficult and Dhaka became diplomatically directionless. Analysts termed 2025 as the ‘missing year’ for Bangladesh due to the absence of an elected government, with major embassies having more contact with the parties likely to form the next government than with the interim administration.
Former ambassador Mahfuzur Rahman told the news agency that Bangladesh moved forward in 2025 without “any clear foreign policy direction”. He said that “although there were signs of softness and maturity from Delhi’s side to resolve the tensions in bilateral relations, Dhaka neither took the initiative nor took advantage of this opportunity to improve relations.” He said, “(Dhaka) instead showed an immature attitude, which was clearly to please a domestic section.” The rise of anti-India forces in the last months of the year increased concerns in the region.
Also, an increase in political violence was observed after the general election date was announced as 12 February 2026. The December 18 assassination of Inquilab Manch leader Sharif Usman Hadi, known for his anti-India rhetoric, sparked nationwide protests and violence. This year also saw reports of an increase in attacks on Hindus and liberation war veterans. Media organizations and shrines of Sufi saints were also attacked.
The news of ill health of former Prime Minister of Bangladesh and President of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Khaleda Zia also remained in the headlines in 2025. Following the disappearance of the Awami League from the political scene, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged as the main political force, while the Jamaat-e-Islami formed an alliance with other smaller groups and positioned itself as an important rival. The Yunus-led government has banned the Awami League from contesting elections.
The emergence of several student-led political units arising out of the protest movements added a new dimension to the electoral arena. On the economic front, Bangladesh faced challenges like slow growth, high inflation, weak investment and rising unemployment in 2025.
In December the Chairman of the National Board of Revenue warned that the country was heading towards a “debt trap”. Yunus had promised corruption-free governance but allegations of corruption against the interim administration have also been in the news in recent months. At the end of the year, Bangladesh is at a turning point, facing political uncertainty, economic crisis and strained relations with its nearest neighbor India.
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