China woos Bangladesh amid diplomatic tensions with India

File Source: BBC

A 22-member delegation from Bangladesh has embarked on a 10-day visit to China, marking a significant diplomatic move amidst rising tensions between Bangladesh and India. The delegation, comprising political leaders, civil society activists, academics, and journalists, is set to meet with Chinese government officials and senior members of the Communist Party.

Abdul Moyeen Khan, a senior official from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), confirmed to the BBC that the visit was “basically a goodwill visit, initiated by Beijing,” highlighting its uniqueness in that it involves a broad group representing various sectors of Bangladesh.

The visit comes at a time of increasing strain between Bangladesh and India, particularly concerning the political exile of ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina in India. Dhaka has repeatedly requested her extradition, but New Delhi has refused. The BNP, which leads the delegation and is headed by former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, is one of Bangladesh’s main political parties alongside Hasina’s Awami League. The delegation also includes members of the student movement that played a central role in the mass uprising that led to Hasina’s removal last August.

An interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, now oversees the country, urging India to repatriate Hasina to face charges including crimes against humanity and money laundering. The UN estimates that Hasina’s government’s crackdown during the uprising resulted in approximately 1,400 deaths. While Hasina denies the charges, India has not shown any sign of extraditing her.

India and Bangladesh shared close ties during Hasina’s 15-year rule, which was often seen as pro-India, though Hasina also balanced this relationship with Beijing. With Hasina’s fall, China has increased its engagement with Bangladeshi leaders and activists, including delegations from Islamic parties. This week’s visit follows a January meeting between Bangladesh’s foreign policy advisor, Touhid Hossain, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. It also marks the second time in recent months that BNP officials have visited China, further signaling Beijing’s increasing influence in Bangladesh.

China is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling about $24 billion, mostly in Chinese exports. The Bangladeshi military also depends heavily on Chinese equipment, with over 70% of its supplies sourced from Beijing. Analysts suggest that in the absence of strong Indian influence following Hasina’s fall, China is eager to expand its foothold in Bangladesh, a country of approximately 170 million people.

While China has stepped up its efforts, India has maintained limited interactions with Bangladesh’s interim government. In December, the BNP staged a protest accusing India of interfering in Bangladesh’s internal affairs by hosting Hasina. Some Bangladeshi officials have also criticized India for its stance on Hasina, prompting a sharp response from Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who dismissed the criticism as “absolutely ridiculous.”

As diplomatic rhetoric between Dhaka and Delhi intensifies, some observers warn that Bangladesh may increasingly tilt toward China. “I don’t believe India should consider the whole subcontinent is under Delhi’s sphere of influence,” said Zhou Bo, a senior fellow at Beijing’s Tsinghua University. “That attitude would make India suffer.” Bangladesh, along with Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and Nepal, is now caught in the geopolitical competition between India and China for influence in South Asia.