Bangladesh election result 2026: How did BNP's first two terms play out for India? Details here

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has won a majority of more than two-thirds of seats in parliament in a landmark national election, marking a turnaround of fortunes for its leader and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman. This is the first general election since former PM Sheikh Hasina was ousted from the country following student-led protests in 2024. 

Even though the BNP has come to the Ganababhan with the hopes of a “reset” of India-Bangladesh ties, its past under Khaleda Zia comes back to haunt New Delhi. 

How did BNP’s first two terms under Khaleda Zia play out for India? 

In her first term during the early 1990s, Zia pushed a Look East policy, focusing on strategic alignment with China and Islamic nations over India. The late BNP supremo also took a strong stance against New Delhi on the Ganga water-sharing pact. 

She maintained that the Farakka barrage deprived Bangladesh of its fair share of Ganga water. The barrage diverts water flow into the Hooghly River to improve navigation for the Kolkata seaport. 

During her visit in 1992, the then Indian PM Narasimha Rao flagged that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh were living in India.

Replying to Rao, she curtly said, “Bengalis in India also understand Bengali, speak Bengali – that doesn’t mean they are from Bangladesh.”

Going ahead, Khaleda Zia’s prime ministership from 2001 to 2006, with support from the Jamaat-e-Islami, was a particularly challenging time for Indo-Bangladesh relations as it was marked by security tensions and limited cooperation despite some progress on the trade front. 

New Delhi accused Dhaka of sheltering the northeastern insurgents, like ULFA, with Bangladesh serving as a base for anti-India activities amid strong Pakistani influence. Zia said at a rally in the early 2000s, “They are fighting for independence. We also fought for it, so we are always in favour of any independence movement.”

In 2002, she signed a deal which made China the primary supplier for tanks, frigates, and other military equipment.

She also opposed the overland transit and connectivity measures with India, saying that the toll-free movement of Indian trucks on Bangladeshi soil amounted to “slavery”. 

Another time when the ties went downhill was during the Chittagong 10-truck-arms haul in 2024, when assault rifles, grenade launchers, rockets, and ammunition intended for ULFA and other rebels were seized. 

The mistrust was fuelled by worsening border issues, migration fears, and alleged ISI collaboration. 

Despite Tarique Rahman’s promise of having a fresh start with India, it remains to be seen whether the ghosts of the past will or will not mar his foreign policy towards New Delhi.