In a development that has rippled quietly but uneasily across the diplomatic corridors of Dhaka and New Delhi, India has said it was never informed about the reported cancellation of ten key bilateral projects and agreements by Bangladesh’s interim government.
The Indian High Commission in Dhaka confirmed on Monday that no formal communication has been made to New Delhi regarding any suspension or termination of existing projects.
“We have not been contacted by the interim government of Bangladesh,” the mission’s media officer told Jagonews, responding to an adviser’s claim circulating widely online.
The statement reflects a note of surprise and restraint from India, a country that has traditionally preferred to handle sensitive bilateral issues with Bangladesh through quiet diplomacy rather than public exchange.
A Facebook post that triggered diplomatic questions
The controversy began late Sunday night when Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, Adviser to the Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Ministry, posted a photo card on Facebook claiming that “10 agreements made with India during the Hasina government have been cancelled, the rest are also under consideration.”
The post, lacking any official government seal or corresponding press release, immediately drew attention across policy circles in both capitals.
In the accompanying text, Bhuiyan listed the names of specific projects, including several long-standing connectivity and water-sharing initiatives:
Tripura–Chittagong Rail Link Project
Abhaypur-Akhaura Railway Extension
Ashuganj-Agartala Corridor
Feni River Water Management Project
Road and Waterway Development for Port Use
Bangladesh’s financial cooperation for Farakka-related projects
Sylhet-Silchar Rail Link Project
Petroleum Pipeline Expansion Agreement
Indian Economic Zones at Mirsarai and Mongla
Tug Boat Supply Agreement with Indian defence firm GRSE
He further noted that the Kushiyara River Water Sharing Project had been suspended, while the Adani Power import deal was “under review.” The Ganga Water Sharing Agreement, according to the post, was being “renewed or reconsidered,” and discussions on the long-pending Teesta River water-sharing accord were “under implementation review.”
Silence from Dhaka, unease in Delhi
Despite the specificity of Asif Mahmud’s claims, no official announcement has been issued by the interim government or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. When asked about the matter on Monday, Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain declined to comment.
“I will not say anything about this today,” he told reporters tersely.
This silence has left both diplomats and analysts parsing whether Asif Mahmud’s post represents a policy decision or merely a premature disclosure by an adviser testing public reaction.
In India, the news has been met with careful understatement. The High Commission’s brief comment suggests New Delhi is avoiding public confrontation, but officials are believed to be seeking clarification through back channels.
A decade of ‘deep cooperation’ now under scrutiny
Between 2010 and 2024, India and Bangladesh signed at least 20 bilateral agreements and 66 memorandums of understanding, according to figures from the Indian High Commission. These covered a vast range of cooperation — from transit and connectivity to energy imports, defence collaboration, and river management.
While the bilateral relationship has seen both warmth and friction over the years, the period under the Awami League government was marked by an unprecedented level of engagement. India extended multiple Lines of Credit (LoCs) worth billions of dollars for infrastructure, power, and transport projects in Bangladesh, positioning itself as Dhaka’s largest development partner after China.
If confirmed, the cancellation of even a fraction of these projects could signal a strategic recalibration under the interim government — one that could reshape the delicate balance Dhaka maintains between its two powerful neighbours.
Opacity and unanswered questions
Public information on the full scope and conditions of these bilateral projects remains limited. Even during the previous government, most agreement details — financial terms, implementation timelines, and oversight mechanisms — were not publicly disclosed.
Behind the measured statements and diplomatic restraint lies uncertainty: whether this episode marks the first tremor of a shifting regional realignment.