Bangladesh needs to hold polls early: India

Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Shri Randhir Jaiswal had said that Bangladesh need to hold inclusive, free, and fair elections at the earliest to fulfill the aspirations of its people, according to the Indian Ministry Of External Affairs.

Jaiswal made this remark during a weekly press conference in New Delhi on Thursday (May 29).

The Ministry's media center published a raw statement of the briefing, where Jaiswal rejected recent allegations by Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus, who allegedly accused New Delhi of attempting to destabilise Bangladesh, citing the claims as baseless and a diversion from Bangladesh’s internal challenges.

“These allegations are an attempt to deflect attention from the real problems,” Jaiswal said. He emphasized that the responsibility for governance and law and order rests squarely with the Bangladesh government.

“Blaming external forces for instability only serves to avoid accountability and does not help resolve the underlying issues,” he added.

The remarks come shortly after a meeting between Dr Muhammad Yunus and Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna, who echoed concerns about what they termed “Indian hegemony” posing a threat to Bangladesh’s stability. Yunus reportedly warned of a crisis stemming from external interference and called for national unity to counteract it.

Responding to these claims, Jaiswal reiterated India’s position: “It is imperative that Bangladesh holds inclusive, transparent elections soon to ensure the people's mandate is respected.”