India Dodges Question on Supporting Awami League’s Return to Bangladesh Election
The political landscape in Bangladesh post-August 5th has shifted dramatically, leaving virtually no place for the Awami League. Many leaders of the “fallen authoritarian government” have been fugitive since last year. Given this situation, with national elections expected in February, the possibility of the Awami League’s participation appears to be near zero.
However, discussions are rife in neighboring India about whether the Indian government will advise the interim government of Bangladesh to include the Awami League—historically India’s biggest ally in Bangladesh—in the upcoming elections. This debate is so significant that it was recently addressed at a press conference by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
Question at the MEA Press Briefing
On Thursday (October 30th), Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson for the Indian MEA, was directly confronted with the question during a press conference. An Indian journalist named Yeshi Seli posed the query:
Seli asked: “I have a question about Bangladesh. They are likely to have an election next year. Will India appeal to them to make the election free, fair, and impartial? Will India also propose that the Awami League be allowed to participate in that election?”
MEA’s Non-Committal Response
In his reply, Randhir Jaiswal carefully avoided mentioning the Awami League or commenting on any potential proposal to the interim government. He limited his statement to India’s expectations for the election process:
Jaiswal simply responded: “Our expectation is that the election in Bangladesh will be free, fair, inclusive, and participatory.”
