TDS Desk:

The relationship between Bangladesh and India has demonstrated some ‘encouraging signs of goodwill’ in recent days despite killings along the border and push-ins prompting concerns from Dhaka which keeps focusing on good working relations with New Delhi, officials from both sides said.

The arrival of an Indian medical team in Bangladesh, coupled with a symbolic gesture from Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus in the form of sending delicious mangoes to the Indian leaders, reflects the ‘underlying spirit of friendship and cooperation’ that continues to shape bilateral ties.

Though tourists’ visas remain closed for nearly a year, official spokesperson at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs Randhir Jaiswal said they have been issuing visas to Bangladesh for various reasons – for various travels, medical emergencies and students. “We are issuing substantial visas.”

The visit of the Indian doctors and nursing officials follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance to extend all possible assistance and support to Bangladesh in the wake of the tragic incident of plane crash in Dhaka on July 21, 2025.

The Indian medical team, now in Dhaka to help provide treatment to Milestone crash victims, held detailed medical consultations with senior officials of the Bangladesh Ministry of Health and doctors at the National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery in Dhaka.

They reviewed each of the critical cases, exchanged views on the treatment methodologies, and conveyed their assessment on future courses of treatment.

Taking India’s medical team’s presence in Bangladesh positively, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said the interim government always wanted a good working relationship with India on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect.

“We always wanted that … .from day one we said we want a good working relationship with India on the basis of reciprocity and mutual respect. Our position remains unchanged,” he said on Thursday, noting that they — no one from the interim government — never said they do not want good relations with India.

Earlier this month, Prof Yunus sent mangoes to the Indian President and Prime Minister in a sweet gesture of goodwill.

Often referred to as ‘mango diplomacy’, this tradition has become an annual gesture symbolising warmth and neighbourliness between the two nations and the gesture is seen as a seasonal reminder of shared culture and mutual respect.

In addition to the President and Prime Minister of India, the recipients include the King and Prime Minister of Bhutan; the President, Vice President, and Prime Minister of Nepal; the President and Prime Minister of Pakistan; and the President of the Maldives. These mangoes were sent on behalf of the Chief Adviser.

BORDER KILLINGS

In February this year, Bangladesh and India agreed to take concrete measures to eliminate border killings, strengthen security and enhance cooperation on cross-border issues, following the 55th border conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and India’s Border Security Force (BSF).

In order to reduce the incidents of shooting, killing, injuring, and beating of unarmed citizens on the border to zero, both sides agreed to intensify joint patrols in vulnerable areas, exchange intelligence promptly, undertake awareness campaigns among border communities and implement socio-economic development initiatives.

Dhaka, however, says border killings continue. On July 25, two Bangladeshi nationals were killed and another injured after Indian Border Security Force troops opened fire on them along the Bashpadua border in Feni’s Parshuram upazila.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Hossain said no border guard force has the right to shoot and kill someone who violates the law along the border, stressing that those who do this should be tried under Indian law.

“We are clearly saying that the border guard force does not have the right to shoot and kill someone who violates the law at the border. It is illegal. We have been protesting about this regularly. We keep continuing our protest,” he said.

As journalists wanted to know whether the interim government, although initially strict in its stance on protesting the border killings, has become a little softer now, Adviser Hossain said, “Not at all.”

PUSH-INS

Bangladesh remains concerned about reported push-ins from India to Bangladesh and Dhaka thinks these are still happening which is against the existing arrangements between the two countries.

The Foreign Affairs Adviser said there is a prescribed process between the two countries to identify and take back citizens through exchange of lists, but if push-ins are carried out without following it, it is a clear violation of the rules.

He said they have recently taken back several citizens through the existing arrangement. “We insist that they maintain this procedure. This is our expectation.”

On July 23, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Indian authorities have expelled hundreds of ethnic Bengali Muslims to Bangladesh in recent weeks without due process, claiming they are “illegal immigrants” and many of them are Indian citizens from states bordering Bangladesh.

The government should stop unlawfully deporting people without due process and instead ensure everyone’s access to procedural safeguards to protect against arbitrary detention and expulsion, said the New York-based rights body.

On May 8, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry wrote to the Indian government calling these ‘push-ins’ – an apparent reference to collective expulsions – ‘unacceptable’, and saying that they would “only accept individuals confirmed as Bangladeshi citizens and repatriated through proper channels.”

NEIGHBOURS CAN’T BE CHANGED

Bangladesh and India witnessed changes after August 5 last year and both sides are trying to take forward the relations accepting this changed reality.

The downturn that the two countries witnessed over the past months in terms of bilateral business activities affected both Bangladesh and India, not just Bangladesh.

“Despite ups and downs, we can’t ignore India as our neighbor. At the same time, India can’t ignore Bangladesh. It is better for both sides to maintain cordiality,” a senior official.

He said, “A kind of imbalance was created during the previous regime. We are trying to make a balance,” he added, noting that Bangladesh-India relationship is not without its challenges.

Bangladesh is now heading towards the next national election, likely to be held in February or April in 2026. Like Bangladesh’s other foreign partners, India is also keeping its eyes on the developments in Bangladesh.

“We have said that as a democracy we would welcome holding of elections that are inclusive and includes everybody in its fold,” said Randhir Jaiswal in a regular briefing in New Delhi.

He said India wants a ‘positive and constructive’ partnership with Bangladesh.

“We have had engagements at the leaders’ level. We also had Foreign Secretary visiting Bangladesh. We have had meetings between our External Affairs Minister and his counterpart, and you know there are several areas of cooperation between the two countries that are ongoing including development partnership. So, that is the context in which you must look at how we want to approach India-Bangladesh ties,” Jaiswal said.