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Bangladesh interim leader Muhammad Yunus has announced plans to hold elections between December 2025 and June 30, 2026, and has assured that he won’t stay in power beyond that
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal noted that India wants a “positive and constructive relationship” with Bangladesh. (Image: PTI/File)
India on Thursday urged Bangladesh to hold an inclusive, free, and fair election as early as possible to ascertain the people’s will and mandate.
Bangladesh interim leader Muhammad Yunus has announced plans to hold elections between December 2025 and June 30, 2026, and has assured that he will not stay in power beyond that date.
“On Bangladesh, we have articulated our position very clearly, as far as elections in Bangladesh are concerned, and we have done so consistently. Bangladesh needs to ascertain the will and mandate of the people by holding an inclusive, fair and free election at an early date,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the ministry of external affairs (MEA), in a weekly briefing.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has expressed unease over the continuation of the Yunus-led interim government and has demanded elections in December itself. The political landscape in the neighbouring country remains volatile, with differing opinions on the election timeline and the current regime’s role.
According to local reports, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman has expressed a desire for the national elections to be held by December.
The National Citizens Party (NCP) – a new party led by students who overthrew Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – wants fundamental reforms before the elections.
dismissed Bangladesh’s accusations of Indian interference as an attempt to deflect attention from internal issues.
“As far as the government there is concerned, the responsibility for law and order and governance issues lies entirely with that government,” Jaiswal said.
‘BLAMING OTHERS DOESN’T SOLVE YOUR CHALLENGES’
On the ‘India’s hegemony’ remark made by Yunus, Jaiswal dismissed accusations of Indian interference as an attempt to deflect attention from internal issues.
“As far as the government there is concerned, the responsibility for law and order and governance issues lies entirely with that government,” he said. “When statements of this sort come, it seems like you want to deflect in another direction from your own challenges related to governance there — and to blame others by saying that these extraneous issues caused by others are the reason for these problems — does not solve the issue.”
Yunus had alleged that external factors, including India, might be behind efforts to destabilise the country. He said there were “relentless efforts to destabilise Bangladesh” both internally and externally, leading to a “war-like situation.” Sharing some links of articles on X, he wrote: “These articles are part of a coordinated disinformation campaign propagated by segments of the Indian right-wing media aiming to delegitimise Bangladesh’s transitional leadership.”
Jaiswal further noted that India wants a “positive and constructive relationship” with Bangladesh. “I would like to underline once again that we have approached our issues and our relationship with Bangladesh. We want a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh, one anchored in meeting the aspirations and the interests of the people of both sides,” he said.
(With agency inputs)
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