The Press Wing of the Chief Adviser’s Office on Monday said that Bangladesh’s relations with India have become balanced and grounded in mutual respect during the tenure of the interim government.
While acknowledging that the damage of 16 years cannot be repaired in just 18 months, the statement emphasised that the country has decisively moved away from authoritarian practices and is steadily progressing towards a democratic future.
According to the Press Wing, Bangladesh entered a new political chapter on 5 August 2024, when a youth-led movement against fascism culminated in mass uprising, paving the way for an interim government under Professor Muhammad Yunus. At the time, the nation faced severe economic turmoil, institutional weaknesses, declining public trust in law enforcement and diminished confidence in the judiciary. Years of corruption and mismanagement had left public institutions fragile and the banking sector in distress.
To address these challenges, the interim government established expert reform commissions and implemented legal and institutional measures to rebuild governance structures. Over the past 18 months, around 130 new and amended laws have been enacted, along with more than 600 executive orders, of which approximately 84 per cent have already been implemented.
The Press Wing highlighted significant achievements in both foreign and economic affairs. An economic partnership with Japan granted duty-free access to some 7,400 Bangladeshi products, while cooperation with China improved health infrastructure and flood forecasting systems. Engagement with the United States reduced tariffs on Bangladeshi goods from 37 per cent to 19 per cent. Amid these efforts, Bangladesh’s ties with India were described as “balanced, constructive and based on mutual respect.”
Domestically, the government reinforced banking supervision, increased procurement transparency across 42 ministries, and granted the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics greater independence.
Law enforcement reforms included temporary suspension of over 1,200 officials and the introduction of human rights-based training. The Rapid Action Battalion was restructured and renamed the Special Intervention Force. Judicial independence was restored, merit-based appointments ensured, and executive interference ended. Politically motivated cases against journalists were withdrawn, and shuttered media outlets reopened, safeguarding press freedom.
The Press Wing concluded that these initiatives represent the beginning of building a citizen-friendly state. While the interim government cannot undo 16 years of misgovernance overnight, the country is moving towards democratic governance and stronger, mutually respectful relations with India.
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