Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke with Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman as his party was on course to a landslide victory in the neighbouring country’s general elections, the first such electoral exercise in nearly two years since the fall of Sheikh Hasina.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister said he was delighted to speak with Rahman, the son of former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, and conveyed his wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people there.
“Delighted to speak with Mr Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections. I conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. As two close neighbours with deep-rooted historical and cultural ties, I reaffirmed India’s continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples,” PM Modi said.
Earlier today, PM Modi congratulated Tarique Rahman after his party secThe Prime Minister conveyed his “warm congratulations” to Rahman for leading the BNP to victory.
“I convey my warm congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading the BNP to a decisive victory in the parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership,” he wrote on X.
“India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals,” he added.
Nazrul Islam Khan, BNP’s poll coordination committee chief, reacted to PM Modi’s congratulatory message and said, “On behalf of our party, we thank him and believe that under the leadership of our leader Tarique Rahman, the relationship between our countries and people-to-people ties will be strengthened.”
External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar also reposted PM Modi’s message on X.
PM Modi’s outreach to Rahman comes at a time when India-Bangladesh relations nosedived after Hasina, a pro-India leader, was ousted in massive anti-government protests led by students in August 2024. Hasina is currently living in exile in Delhi.
BNP HEADING TOWARDS A BIG VICTORY
PM Modi’s message came as the BNP secured a majority in Bangladesh’s parliamentary polls. Media tallies indicated the party had crossed the 151-seat mark required to form the government. The country’s election commission, however, is yet to make a formal announcement of the final results.
Its former ally, the Jamaat-e-Islami, a hardline party considered close to Pakistan, was reported to be leading or winning in around 75 seats, underscoring a decisive reshaping of Bangladesh’s political landscape.
In a statement on X, the BNP’s media cell said the party was set to form the next government after winning a majority of seats.
replace the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus, which assumed office 18 months ago following the collapse of the Awami League regime in August 2024. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party was subsequently disbanded.
The election was widely viewed as a straight contest between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami in the absence of Hasina, who fled to India and is currently in exile.
Voting for the 13th parliamentary elections was conducted alongside a referendum on implementing an 84-point reform agenda, known as the July National Charter.
The polls were held to elect a new government toIf the BNP forms the government, Tarique Rahman would become Bangladesh’s first male prime minister in 36 years. Rahman, who returned to Bangladesh in December after more than 17 years in self-exile, has urged party workers to skip victory rallies and hold special prayers nationwide instead.
