Elections Loom as Bangladesh Shifts Toward China

AFP/APP

Islamabad: Bangladesh’s elections next week could reshape South Asia’s strategic balance, as China moves to consolidate its influence while relations between Dhaka and New Delhi show signs of strain, analysts say.

The February 12 polls will be Bangladesh’s first national elections since a student-led uprising toppled the government of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024.

India’s decision to provide shelter to Hasina, despite extradition requests from Dhaka, has angered the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. The fallout has prompted Bangladesh to deepen engagement with China and Pakistan.

The Muslim-majority nation of around 170 million people maintained strong trade and defence ties with China during Hasina’s tenure. However, India remained Dhaka’s foremost strategic partner — an arrangement analysts say is now undergoing a significant shift.