India
India on Thursday strongly urged Bangladesh’s caretaker administration to conduct “inclusive, fair and free elections at an early date,” amid rising political tension, widespread street protests, and growing dissatisfaction with the interim leadership helmed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
The statement, delivered by External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal at a weekly press briefing, came in response to escalating demands from opposition groups and public sector employees for timely elections. Key stakeholders, including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and elements within the Bangladesh Army, have called for national elections to be held no later than December 2025. However, Yunus has proposed a timeline that stretches to mid-2026, citing the need for comprehensive reforms first.
“Bangladesh needs to ascertain the will and mandate of the people by holding inclusive, fair and free elections at an early date,” Jaiswal asserted, reaffirming India’s consistent position on the matter. He emphasized India’s desire for a “positive and constructive relationship” with its eastern neighbor, built on the mutual interests and aspirations of their people.
Tensions have surged in Bangladesh as thousands of government employees have launched protests against a controversial ordinance passed by the caretaker administration. The new regulation allows the public administration ministry to dismiss civil servants for misconduct without due process, sparking outrage across the bureaucracy. Primary school teachers have taken indefinite leave demanding wage hikes, and revenue officers staged mass demonstrations, forcing the interim government to roll back an order to dissolve the National Board of Revenue.
The unrest has intensified the political vacuum left since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in August 2024 amid violent mass protests. Since then, bilateral relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated, particularly after India criticized the interim regime for alleged persecution of minorities, especially Hindus. Yunus has dismissed these accusations as “exaggerated,” while suggesting that India’s regional dominance contributes to instability in Dhaka—a claim India has firmly rejected.
Responding to such remarks, Jaiswal said, “It is the responsibility of the government in Bangladesh to address issues of governance. Blaming external forces for internal challenges is not a solution.”
India’s call for early elections underscores its strategic interest in ensuring political stability and democratic legitimacy in Bangladesh, a key partner in regional security and trade.
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