Pakistan moves closer to Bangladesh as India watches warily

Dhaka and Islamabad are growing closer after years of mistrust, but what does this mean for India?

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Last month, after decades of troubled relations, the two countries began directly trading for the first time, with Dhaka importing 50,000 tonnes of rice from Pakistan. Direct flights and military contacts have also been revived, visa procedures have been simplified, and there are reports of co-operation on security matters.

The countries - separated by the landmass of India - have deep, painful historical ties. The animosity between them goes back to 1971, when Bangladesh - then known as East Pakistan - launched a struggle to gain independence from Islamabad. India supported the Bengali rebels during the nine-month war which led to the formation of Bangladesh.

While the scars from that period run deep, Dhaka had cordial relations with Islamabad between 2001 and 2006, when a coalition of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Jamaat-e-Islami governed the country.

This changed during Hasina's 15-year rule from 2009 - when she was strongly backed by Delhi and maintained a distance from Pakistan. But after she fled to India following mass protests against her government, ties seem to be thawing.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cge1gxxn07qo

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