The article discusses how Bangladesh’s border security and bilateral relations with India are increasingly influenced by political developments in West Bengal. It notes that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) recent victory in the state has introduced new uncertainties for Bangladesh, given the state’s long shared border and the BJP’s stance on citizenship and identity politics. The piece highlights that earlier political eras under the Congress, Left Front, and Trinamool Congress did not treat citizenship and religious identity as major electoral issues.

The analysis traces the evolution of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), explaining how these policies have intensified religious polarization and raised fears among Muslim communities. It argues that the NRC and CAA, while presented as measures for national security, have largely become tools of political division, particularly affecting Bengali Muslims in border regions.

The author concludes that Bangladesh must adopt strategic policies to reduce dependency on India, diversify trade and energy partnerships, and strengthen its diplomatic position in regional negotiations, especially regarding border management and water-sharing agreements.