Nahid Islam said Bangladesh should reassess its relationship with India and establish new ties only after receiving assurances on several issues. Speaking at an emergency press conference at the NCP’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka, on Monday afternoon, he said a new relationship would require India not to allow Awami League activities, not to provide Sheikh Hasina shelter, and to respect Bangladesh’s judiciary and democracy.

He also called for the return of Osman Hadi’s killers and alleged that Sheikh Hasina’s press conference in Delhi could not have taken place without support from the Indian government. Nahid said the expiring Ganges treaty, Bangladesh’s fair share of water, an end to push-ins at the border, and a permanent halt to border killings should form the basis for renewed relations.

Nahid questioned what message would be conveyed if Tarique Rahman again visited Delhi while Sheikh Hasina was there, calling it an insulting development for Bangladesh. At the conference, he also read a written NCP statement criticizing the government’s 180 days, citing alleged economic mismanagement, energy shortages, rising prices, pressure on opposition parties and journalists, and politicisation of state institutions.