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The BNP is planning to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the swearing-in of party chief Tarique Rahman as prime minister after its landslide victory in the Feb 12 election.
In an interview with Indian news channel WION, Humayun Kabir, foreign policy advisor to BNP chief Tarique, said the invitation would be extended as a gesture of goodwill as the party prepares to form the next government.
Noting that regional diplomacy would be a priority under a Tarique-led administration, he said: “The region is important to us. An important part of the foreign policy of Tarique Rahman [is] making this region an influential region.”
“[There is a] sense of priority in sending out invitations for the inauguration. The time frame is short, but the gesture is there.”
He described the proposed invitation as a signal of intent to improve ties.
“You give an invitation for people to attend, you will have expectations that you attend. A goodwill gesture."
Kabir suggested that a BNP government would pursue what he described as a balanced regional approach.
“We also believe a certain political vision for the region can be set out,” he told WION.
He pointed to multilateral platforms such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) as avenues that “can be utilised”.
The comments come amid a wave of international messages following the BNP’s victory in the Feb 12 election, which returned the party to power after nearly two decades and reshaped Bangladesh’s political landscape following the 2024 ouster of the Awami League government.
Modi has already congratulated Tarique on what he described as a “decisive victory” and expressed India’s support for a democratic and progressive Bangladesh.
Kabir also indicated that a “reset” in bilateral relations was possible, though he referred to concerns within the BNP regarding the continued presence of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in India.
Preparations are underway for Tarique, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, to take oath in the coming days.