India-Bangladesh Ties at Critical Juncture: Policy Reset Urged Amidst Rising Challenges

• India-Bangladesh relations have reached a decades-low point following the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government in August 2024, marked by attacks on Indian missions and visa suspension.
• A Parliamentary report highlights a 'graver' strategic challenge for India, citing generational discontinuity, political shift, and potential strategic realignment away from India.
• Challenges include resurgence of radical Islamist groups, Chinese and Pakistani influence, illegal immigration, threats to minorities, and risks to India's 'Chicken's Neck' corridor.
• India's sheltering of Sheikh Hasina, sentenced to death in absentia, is a major diplomatic friction point, with Bangladesh requesting her extradition.
• Upcoming Bangladesh elections in February 2026 offer a chance for a policy 'reset'; the BNP, now frontrunner, seeks stronger ties with India and has shed its Islamist image.

Why It Matters: India must recalibrate its Bangladesh policy with strategic restraint and diversified diplomacy to navigate complex challenges.