Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz has published a paper in the Indian Politics and Policy Journal. The paper discusses Bangladesh’s relationship with India. The paper is titled ‘Indo-Bangladesh Relationship: “Saath Saath” (Together) or Too Close for Comfort?’
The paper highlights the perspective often ignored in the extant literature, that is the perspective which views the relationship as uneven and India as domineering. The paper argues that the relationship between Bangladesh and India, since the founding of the former in 1971, has been complex. However, in the past decade, a very close relationship has developed between the two governments and the ruling parties. Significant numbers of treaties involving economic and defense cooperation have been implemented.
Although several contentious issues have been re- solved, some pressing issues remain. Cognizant of the existence of two perspectives about this relationship, commonly described as pro-Indian and anti-Indian, this paper explores the emergence of these perspectives, discusses the core arguments of the critical perspective, and locates them within the history of the relationship and India’s neighborhood policy.
This paper shows that the ebb and flow of this relationship has been influenced by domestic political considerations and India’s neighborhood policies.
