Bangladesh Drawn Closer to China as Ties with India Strain

• Feb 26, 2025

A 22-member delegation from Bangladesh, comprising political leaders, civil society activists, academics, and journalists, has embarked on a 10-day visit to China. The delegation, led by senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) official Abdul Moyeen Khan, is engaging in discussions with Chinese government officials and top members of the ruling Communist Party.

While officially described as a "goodwill visit" initiated by Beijing, analysts see it as part of China's increasing diplomatic overtures amid rising tensions between Bangladesh and India on multiple fronts. Among the key points of contention is the presence of ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina in India, where she has taken refuge. Dhaka has formally requested her extradition, but Delhi has refused to comply.

The delegation includes several representatives from the BNP and its allies, as well as figures from the student-led movement that played a crucial role in the mass uprising against Hasina, which resulted in her removal from power in August last year. Currently, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is in charge, actively pressing India to repatriate Hasina so she can face charges, including crimes against humanity and money laundering. The United Nations has reported that Hasina’s government was responsible for a violent crackdown on protests, leading to the deaths of approximately 1,400 people.

Despite Dhaka’s requests, India has remained firm in its refusal to extradite Hasina. During her 15-year rule, Hasina maintained a close relationship with India, though she also balanced ties with China. With her departure, Beijing has stepped up its engagement with Bangladeshi leaders, activists, and opposition parties, including those from Islamist factions.

This visit follows a prior meeting in January between Bangladesh’s interim foreign policy advisor Touhid Hossain and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. It also marks the second BNP delegation to visit China in recent months, highlighting growing ties between the two nations.

With India’s influence seemingly waning, Beijing appears eager to strengthen its foothold in Bangladesh, a country of 170 million people. China is already Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $24 billion, most of which consists of Chinese exports. Additionally, more than 70% of Bangladesh’s military equipment is supplied by China.

In contrast to China’s increasing outreach, India has had limited interactions with Bangladesh’s interim government and political factions over the past six months. The BNP staged a protest in December, accusing India of meddling in Bangladesh’s internal affairs by sheltering Hasina. Some members of the interim government have also criticized Delhi’s stance, drawing sharp reactions from Indian officials.

Last week, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar dismissed the criticism as "absolutely ridiculous," emphasizing that it is for Bangladesh to determine its relationship with India.

The rising tensions between Dhaka and Delhi raise the prospect of Bangladesh moving closer to Beijing. Analysts suggest that Bangladesh, like Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Nepal, has become a focal point in the geopolitical rivalry between China and India as both nations seek to expand their influence in South Asia.

"India should not assume that the entire subcontinent falls under its sphere of influence. That mindset will only hurt India's strategic position," said Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Beijing’s Tsinghua University, in an interview with the BBC.

As diplomatic maneuvering intensifies, Bangladesh finds itself at the center of a regional power struggle, with China seizing opportunities to deepen its ties while India faces growing criticism over its handling of Dhaka’s political transition.