Introduction
India’s relations with neighboring Bangladesh have remained in constant flux since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from power in August 2024. Apart from occasional political problems, longstanding unresolved issues pertaining to border management, water sharing, and evacuation of ‘illegal immigrants’ have been a source of continued contestation between the two countries. While these issues generally fall under the central government’s policy ambit, political rhetoric and official approaches in the Indian states bordering Bangladesh also contribute to policy formulation in this regard.
Among the five Indian states situated along the Bangladesh frontier, West Bengal shares the longest border –2217 of the total 4096 kilometers–, making it pivotal in cross-border political, economic, and social interactions between the two countries. The state government’s narrative on India-Bangladesh relations and unresolved issues therefore carries a natural and added weightage in New Delhi.
