Pakistan's Prime Minister has broken his silence on recent tensions between India and Bangladesh, calling the boycott of India a "right decision" in support of Bangladesh, invoking the countries' shared history from the 1971 war.
The statement, made in a brief press interaction, references an ongoing diplomatic and economic boycott movement in Bangladesh targeting Indian goods and cultural events following recent bilateral tensions.
For Pakistan, historically estranged from Bangladesh since the violent 1971 separation, the public support represents a notable diplomatic positioning — one that carries decades of complicated history.
The 1971 Legacy
A billion people aren't a statistic — they're a billion stories. And the story connecting Pakistan and Bangladesh is written in the blood of three million people who died when Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) fought for independence from Pakistan in 1971.
The Pakistani military's brutal crackdown on Bengali civilians, with India's subsequent intervention supporting Bangladeshi independence fighters, created wounds that still shape South Asian geopolitics half a century later.
For decades, relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh remained frozen. Pakistan only officially recognized Bangladesh in 1974, and tensions over war crimes, apologies, and historical accountability have prevented genuine rapprochement.
Which makes the current moment unusual. Pakistan's Prime Minister publicly backing Bangladesh against India represents a pragmatic recalibration — the enemy of my enemy, as the old saying goes.
Current India-Bangladesh Tensions
The boycott the Prime Minister referenced stems from multiple flashpoints in India-Bangladesh relations. Disputes over water sharing from shared rivers, border incidents, treatment of minorities, and political interference allegations have strained what was once a close bilateral relationship.
Social media campaigns in Bangladesh have called for boycotting Indian products, Bollywood films, and cultural events. The movement gained momentum following incidents that Bangladeshi activists describe as Indian interference in domestic politics.
Pakistan, which has its own longstanding tensions with India over Kashmir, water disputes, and terrorism allegations, sees an opportunity in the India-Bangladesh rift.
Strategic Calculations
"This is less about Bangladesh and more about India," said Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, a political analyst in Islamabad. "Pakistan sees a chance to position itself as a supporter of Bangladeshi sovereignty against perceived Indian dominance in the region."
The statement also plays to domestic audiences in Pakistan, where opposition to India unites otherwise fractious political factions. Supporting a Muslim-majority nation against India resonates with religious and nationalist sentiments.
But the positioning is delicate. Bangladesh has not forgotten 1971, and many Bangladeshis remain suspicious of Pakistani overtures. Any attempt by Pakistan to leverage current India-Bangladesh tensions must navigate the historical reality that Pakistan once attempted to prevent Bangladesh's very existence.
Bangladesh's Complicated Position
For Bangladesh, Pakistani support is a double-edged sword. While it provides diplomatic backing against India, it also risks association with a country that many Bangladeshis still view as a former oppressor.
Bangladeshi civil society remains divided on engagement with Pakistan. Liberation war veterans and secular political forces oppose normalization without Pakistani acknowledgment of 1971 atrocities and a formal apology. Other factions prioritize contemporary strategic interests over historical grievances.
India, meanwhile, has historically positioned itself as Bangladesh's liberator and close ally. The current tensions represent a significant shift from the warm relations that characterized the past decade.
Analysts note that Pakistan's statement may actually complicate matters for Bangladesh, allowing India to frame Bangladeshi positions as aligned with its arch-rival Pakistan — a characterization that could undermine Bangladesh's independent stance.
The Regional Chessboard
South Asian geopolitics has always been complex, shaped by the traumas of Partition, wars over Kashmir, the 1971 Bangladesh liberation, and ongoing disputes over water, borders, and regional influence.
The current realignment — Pakistan publicly supporting Bangladesh against India — would have been unthinkable a decade ago. That it's happening now reflects both the depth of current India-Bangladesh tensions and Pakistan's willingness to exploit any opening in India's regional relationships.
Whether this represents genuine Pakistan-Bangladesh reconciliation or temporary strategic alignment against a common irritant remains to be seen.
What's certain is that India, which has long enjoyed strong influence in Dhaka and positioned itself as the region's dominant power, is watching these developments with concern.
