Different parties propose new things in Bangladesh elections

During his visit to China last year, Yunus brought up India’s “landlocked” northeast, which infuriated India. The Nobel Laureate asserted that the “landlocked” state of northeast India made Bangladesh the “only guardian of the ocean” in the area. Additionally, he urged China to strengthen its economy and increase its influence in the area.

India strongly opposes this, seeing it as an infringement on its domestic affairs. Thus, New Delhi will appreciate Rahman’s guarantee in this regard.Rahman has, in fact, stated repeatedly that the BNP would not support either India or Pakistan in the event that it were elected. “Not Dilli, Not Pindi, Bangladesh before everything,” Rahman had said.

The Jamaat specifically discussed preserving “friendly and cooperative” relations with New Delhi, despite Rahman’s failure to officially include India in his party’s manifesto. Remarkably, Pakistan was not mentioned in the manifesto that its president, Shafiqur Rahman, unveiled on Wednesday. The explicit reference to forging amicable relations with India differs from Jamaat’s previous discourse. Most people consider the Jamaat, which was banned and subjected to a crackdown under Hasina’s rule, to be a proxy of Pakistan’s infamous spy organization ISI. It even backed Pakistan in the war of 1971.

Although Pakistan is not mentioned in the Jamaat manifesto, the party has promised to give priority to relations with nations with a majority of Muslims. Creating “constructive relations” with the US, the EU, Japan, the UK, and Canada is another topic covered.

According to opinion polls, the race is expected to be close, with most people giving Rahman’s BNP the advantage. With wins in all five of the major student elections, including Dhaka University, the Jamaat is not far behind.The attacks against minorities, particularly Hindus, have drawn international attention as Bangladesh prepares to go to the polls on February 12.

Actually, according to the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, there were 51 instances of intercommunal violence in December 2025 alone. About 15 Hindus were lynched or slain that month as anti-India sentiment grew after the death of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, a strong opponent of India. “‘Religion is individual, the state is for all. Will ensure the right to perform religious rituals and celebrate festivals without any hindrance,” the manifesto says.

Rahman’s ‘Bangladesh First’ agenda made women’s emancipation a central theme. The BNP has pledged to offer free education up to the postgraduate level and to issue family cards in the name of the female head of the household.

Political analysts can learn more about the agendas of the two parties that will face off on February 12 from the manifestos. It is also very important for India. Dhaka is more than just a neighbor to New Delhi. In addition to playing a crucial role in border security, Bangladesh serves as the subcontinent’s geopolitical counterbalance to hostile Pakistan and assertive China.