After the BNP marked a landslide win the national elections, PM Modi was among the first leaders of the South Asia to extend his wishes to Tarique Rahman. After almost two years of political uncertainty in Bangladesh following former premier Sheikh Hasina’s ouster in youth-led uprising in 2024, Bangladesh is headed to a fresh start after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) marked a decisive win in the national elections held on February 12.
BNP chairman and late Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman is set to become the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, a post once held by his mother. The political development is being closely watched by India particularly after recent spate of attacks against minority Hindus in Bangladesh and Hasina’s exile to New Delhi. The new government led by the BNP, which is returning to power after 20 years, could also be looking to mend ties with India for overall stability in the region which was evident from BNP leader ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan’s remarks.
Milan on on Saturday expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be invited to the upcoming government swearing-in ceremony, while underscoring the party’s inclusive foreign policy vision “friends to all, malice to none.” “I don’t know exactly what they’re doing, but hopefully they’ll invite everyone. I don’t know exactly, but he (PM Modi) should be invited. It’s general courtesy. The organisers will do it. I hope the whole world will be with us,” Milan was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Highlighting the party’s broader stance on international relations, he added, “Friends to all, malice to none.” After the BNP marked a landslide win the national elections, PM Modi was among the first leaders of the South Asia to extend his wishes to Rahman. “I convey my warm congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership,” wrote Modi on X.
Modi later spoke to Rahman on phone and took to X, saying, “Delighted to speak with Mr. Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections.” One of the key issues between Indian and Bangladesh after BNP’s poll victory would be ousted premier Sheikh Hasina’s extradition to Dhaka who is currently in exile in Delhi. After the results were announced on Friday indicating BNP’s win, party leader Salahuddin Ahmed said his party will formally urge India to extradite Hasina to Bangladesh to stand trial.
“The foreign minister has already pursued the matter of her extradition, and we support it,” senior BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed said. “We have consistently pressed for her extradition in accordance with the law. This is an issue between the foreign ministries of the two countries. We have also urged the government of India to send her back to face trial in Bangladesh,” he added.
