As Bangladesh votes in first post-Sheikh Hasina elections, security concerns have been by Indian security agencies, pointing that the presence of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists has been detected in the neighbouring nation, said sources on Thursday. They highlighted that these Lashkar and Jaish terrorists may try to disrupt the law and order situation in Bangladesh.
According to the sources, Pakistan's notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is also involved and is closely monitoring the situation in Bangladesh. They said that the ISI aims to influence the Bangladeshi elections against India. Considering this, the Indian agencies have heightened the security along the International Border (IB) of Bangladesh.
Deteriorating India-Bangladesh ties
It must be mentioned that the ties between India and Bangladesh were after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster following the July 2024 uprising in the country. Hasina, the Awami League chief who served as longest serving premier of Bangladesh, had fled to India after her ouster. The interim government led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has demanded that Hasina must be immediately handed over.
India on its part has said that it remains engaged "constructively with all stakeholders" and it remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh. India has also expressed concerns over the recent increase in killing of minorities, particularly the Hindus, in Bangladesh, asking the Yunus government to ensure their security.
Bangladesh elections 2026
Coming to the Bangladesh elections, the polling is underway in the neighbouring country. These are the first elections that are being held after Hasina's ouster. As per pre-poll surveys, former PM Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh National Party (BNP) is leading, but is facing tough contest from the hardline Islamist group, the Jamaat-e-Islami.
The BNP is currently led by Zia's son Tarique Rahman after her death. Rahman has asserted that his party will win the elections, while also pushing for improvement in India-Bangladesh ties. India is currently keeping a close eye on the Bangladesh elections, as they will are expected to have a huge impact on the geopolitical situation in the region.
