A 22-member delegation from Bangladesh, consisting of political leaders, civil society activists, academics, and journalists, has embarked on a 10-day diplomatic visit to China. The delegation’s discussions with Chinese government officials and senior members of the ruling Communist Party signal China’s increasing engagement with Bangladesh at a time when diplomatic relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have become more strained.
Abdul Moyeen Khan, a senior official of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and leader of the delegation, confirmed to the BBC that the trip is primarily a goodwill visit initiated by Beijing. Khan noted that this visit is significant because, for the first time, China has invited a delegation representing a wide range of Bangladeshi groups, including opposition parties and civil society members. The delegation is largely composed of BNP affiliates and its allies, with some members involved in the student movement that played a key role in the uprising against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year.
The visit comes at a time when Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, is engaged in diplomatic tensions with India. The interim government has been pressing India for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in exile in India, to face charges ranging from crimes against humanity to money laundering. However, India has shown no indication of agreeing to the request.
The political tensions between Bangladesh and India have been exacerbated by Hasina’s ousting and the subsequent crackdown on protesters, which the United Nations reported resulted in the deaths of about 1,400 people. This crackdown, along with other allegations against Hasina’s government, has fueled the rift between Dhaka and New Delhi.
India has long been a close ally of Hasina’s government, and under her leadership, Bangladesh maintained a delicate balance between India and China. However, with Hasina’s fall, China’s influence in Bangladesh seems to be growing. Beijing has been actively engaging with Bangladeshi political leaders, activists, and even Islamist parties, signaling its interest in strengthening ties in the region.
The current visit follows a meeting in January between Bangladesh’s foreign policy advisor, Touhid Hossain, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, underscoring the growing diplomatic engagement between Dhaka and Beijing. In fact, this is the second visit by BNP officials to China in recent months, following a similar delegation trip late last year.
With the political vacuum in Bangladesh and India’s reduced influence, analysts suggest that China is attempting to increase its foothold in the country, which has a population of approximately 170 million people. China has long been Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling around $24 billion, most of which consists of Chinese exports to Bangladesh. Furthermore, Bangladesh’s military is heavily reliant on Chinese equipment, with over 70% of its supplies coming from China.
Meanwhile, India’s interactions with Bangladesh have been limited in the past six months, particularly with the interim government. In December, the BNP organized protests accusing India of interfering in Bangladesh’s internal affairs by harboring Hasina. Some advisors to Bangladesh’s interim government have also criticized India for its stance on Hasina, which has sparked a sharp response from New Delhi.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar recently dismissed the criticism as “absolutely ridiculous,” emphasizing that Bangladesh is free to choose its relationship with India. However, some analysts worry that the increasingly tense rhetoric between Dhaka and Delhi could push Bangladesh closer to China, which has been more receptive to engaging with Bangladesh’s current leadership.
This developing dynamic highlights the competition between India and China for influence in South Asia, with Bangladesh joining countries like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Maldives in becoming a focal point for both powers. As China seeks to expand its footprint in the region, the outcome of Bangladesh’s shifting diplomatic alignment could have significant implications for the broader geopolitical landscape in South Asia.
Chinese analyst Zhou Bo from Tsinghua University commented on the situation, stating that India should not assume the entire subcontinent falls under its sphere of influence. According to Zhou, this mindset would ultimately harm India’s interests. As the diplomatic tug-of-war between China and India continues, Bangladesh finds itself caught in the middle of this larger struggle for regional dominance.
