A protest in Dhaka against civilian killings on the India–Bangladesh border. The view that India treats the border merely as a security problem with little regard for human life fuels deep public anger in Bangladesh. IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

The new power dynamic between India and Bangladesh

New Delhi continues to expect deference from Dhaka, but Tarique Rahman’s BNP administration has a stronger position in negotiations with India than previous Bangladesh governments

Shakeel Anwar is a journalist and commentator who has covered Bangladesh for more than three decades. He spent 26 years with the BBC World Service. He is a consulting editor with Chaarcha.com, a Dhaka-based digital news platform, and is also a part-time faculty member in the department of journalism at Jahangirnagar University.

Published on:

28 Apr 2026, 8:37 am

INDIA’S BORDER SECURITY FORCE (BSF) is exploring an idea: releasing crocodiles and venomous snakes along riverine stretches of the country’s border with Bangladesh to deter illegal migration. Security along the 4000-kilometre border, which runs through plains, hills, forests and rivers, has been a contentious topic for decades. India has fenced off large sections of it, but the geography makes many parts difficult to barricade.

Media reports on the BSF’s outrageous proposal to use dangerous reptiles to deter crossings have triggered outrage in Bangladesh, where many see it as a symptom of a deeper problem. The nature of the proposal reinforces a long-standing view in Bangladesh that India views the shared border primarily through a security lens while holding little regard for the human consequences.

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