Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Grigoryevich Khozin has urged Dhaka to move quickly to de-escalate tensions with New Delhi, emphasising that improved relations between Bangladesh and India are essential for regional peace, stability and long-term cooperation. He said reducing friction at this stage would serve the broader interests of South Asia and help prevent further strategic uncertainty.
Khozin also reflected on the shared history of the region, recalling India’s decisive role in Bangladesh’s Liberation War of 1971. He highlighted that Russia, then the Soviet Union, stood firmly in support of Bangladesh during its struggle for independence, underlining the enduring significance of trilateral cooperation among India, Bangladesh and Russia during a defining moment in South Asian history.
His remarks come amid growing concern in New Delhi over developments in Bangladesh. Last week, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, warned that the current situation in Bangladesh could evolve into India’s most serious strategic challenge in the neighbouring country since the 1971 Liberation War. The committee cited political realignments, a widening generational disconnect and the expanding influence of China and Pakistan as key areas of concern.
The committee presented its findings in Parliament, drawing on testimony provided by a non-official witness during a closed-door session held on June 26. According to the report, while the crisis of 1971 was an existential humanitarian emergency that led to the birth of a new nation, today’s challenges are less visible but potentially more far-reaching in their consequences.
“The 1971 challenge was existential — a humanitarian crisis and the creation of a new state,” the report noted. “The current threat is more subtle, yet potentially more serious and profound, involving generational shifts, changes in the political system, and the risk of a strategic realignment away from India.”
The committee also flagged major political shifts inside Bangladesh following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the collapse of her Awami League’s long-standing dominance. It warned that the resurgence of Islamist forces, coupled with rising youth-driven nationalism and the deepening footprint of China and Pakistan, marks a decisive turning point in Bangladesh’s political and strategic orientation.
According to the testimony cited in the report, these combined factors — the weakening of traditional political structures, the re-emergence of Islamist groups and increased external influence — together signal a period of transition that could significantly reshape Bangladesh’s relations with India and the wider region.
