Jaishankar Issues Stern Warning to Bangladesh Over "Ridiculous" Claims by Interim Leaders
Bangladesh must “make up their mind” about the kind of relationship it wants with India, he said.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivered a sharp rebuke to Bangladesh’s interim government, cautioning Dhaka against making what he termed "ridiculous" claims against India and urging clarity on the future of bilateral ties. Speaking at a public event in New Delhi, just days after meeting Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain in Muscat, Oman, Jaishankar highlighted growing tensions between the two neighbors, driven by hostile rhetoric from Dhaka and concerns over attacks on minorities.
The remarks come amid a strained period in India-Bangladesh relations, following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 after months of student-led protests against a controversial job quota system. Hasina, a long-standing ally of India, fled to New Delhi, where she remains, while an interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has taken charge in Dhaka. Since then, India has expressed alarm over a surge in violence targeting minorities, particularly Hindus, as well as a perceived shift in Bangladesh’s stance toward New Delhi.
Jaishankar pulled no punches in addressing Dhaka’s contradictory behavior. “If every day someone in the interim government stands up and blames India for everything, some of those things, if you look at the reports, are absolutely ridiculous, you cannot, on one hand, say ‘I would now like to have good relations with you,’ but wake up every morning and blame us for everything that goes wrong,” he said. He emphasised that Bangladesh must “make up their mind” about the kind of relationship it wants with India, a neighbor with whom it shares a “special history” dating back to India’s pivotal role in Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war.
The minister pointed to two key issues straining ties: the spate of communal attacks on minorities in Bangladesh and the interim government’s tendency to scapegoat India for its domestic challenges. “What is very troubling for India is the spate of attacks on minorities. It obviously impacts our thinking, and it’s something we have to speak up about, which we have done,” Jaishankar said. Reports of vandalised Hindu temples, assaulted women, and targeted killings have fueled India’s concerns, with New Delhi repeatedly urging Dhaka to ensure the safety of its minority communities, an appeal Bangladesh has dismissed as exaggerated or fabricated by Indian media.
The second issue, Jaishankar noted, is Bangladesh’s internal politics. “They have their politics, you can agree or disagree with it, but at the end of the day, we are their neighbor, and they have to decide on their outlook toward us,” he said. He stressed that India has sent a “clear message” to Dhaka: while New Delhi seeks stability and constructive ties, it will not tolerate persistent anti-India rhetoric. “We’d like things to calm down, but we don’t appreciate this constant hostile messaging,” he added.
Jaishankar’s warning follows his Muscat meeting with Hossain on February 19, where he reportedly raised India’s concerns about Bangladesh’s drift toward radical elements and its warming ties with Pakistan. Sources indicate Jaishankar told Hossain that Dhaka must not “normalise terrorism,” a pointed reference to fears that Bangladesh’s interim government might be softening its stance on extremist groups under Pakistani influence. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) also came up during the talks, with Bangladesh raising the issue, only for Jaishankar to counter that Pakistan’s actions have long stymied the group’s progress.
The backdrop to this diplomatic spat includes Bangladesh’s extradition request for Hasina in December 2024, which India has not acted upon, and her recent political statements from New Delhi, which have irked Yunus’s administration. Meanwhile, India has maintained high-level engagement, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visiting Dhaka in December and border force talks occurring last week, signaling a desire to keep channels open despite the friction.
Analysts see Jaishankar’s remarks as a calculated escalation, reflecting India’s frustration with Bangladesh’s interim leadership. “This is India drawing a line in the sand,” said geopolitical commentator Priya Sahgal. “New Delhi is signaling it’s open to trade and dialogue, but the anti-India blame game has to stop.” Bangladesh has not officially responded yet, though posts on X suggest Dhaka may seek to de-escalate, with some calling for “constructive ties” in light of Jaishankar’s critique.
With a shared 4,096-km border and deep historical ties, the stakes are high for both nations. For now, Jaishankar’s message is clear: Bangladesh must choose either good neighborly relations or continued tension, and India is watching closely.
Pic credit PTI.
