Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Occasion (BNP) Tarique Rahman throughout an interview with Reuters forward of the nationwide election, at his Gulshan workplace, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on February 6, 2026.
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters
Per week earlier than the election and referendum in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Nationalist Occasion (BNP) launched its manifesto asserting that its international coverage will probably be based mostly on ‘Bangladesh Earlier than All’ and stated, that the celebration will set up pleasant relation with all however is not going to settle for any nation as its “grasp”.
The manifesto declared that if elected to energy, BNP will prioritise to finish “border killings” by the Border Safety Power (BSF) of India and take steps to assert a “justifiable share” of widespread rivers with India like Teesta and Padma. The manifesto additionally referred to as for constructing “strategic partnership” between Bangladesh and the Gulf international locations and introduced that the BNP “is not going to tolerate” any terrorist exercise on Bangladesh’s soil.
“We’re dedicated to constructing relations of equality, cooperation and friendship with our neighbours. The inspiration of that relationship will probably be mutual respect and understanding whdich will guarantee our collective progress. Our initiatives and efforts on this regard will aways proceed,” stated the manifesto highlighting that BNP will guarantee “justifiable share” of water from the Padma, Teesta and “all transboundary rivers of Bangladesh”.
Reflecting a long-standing concern in Bangladesh’s relation with India, the manifesto stated “robust measures” will probably be taken to take care of “border killings and push-in”.
“Smuggling, trafficking and drug trafficking on the border will probably be strictly suppressed,” the BNP’s manifesto stated. The BNP, whose founder Ziaur Rahman was the primary regional chief to speak about South Asian Affiliation of Regional Cooperation (SAARC), has been speaking about reviving the SAARC and reiterated that if elected to energy, the BNP will make SAARC efficient.
“BNP traditionally had deep relations with Center Jap (West Asian) international locations and the Muslim World. Honest efforts will proceed to deepen and strengthen relations with the Center East (West Asia) in worldwide politics,” the manifesto stated.
“Bangladesh needs to construct a strategic partnership with member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the aim of which will probably be to realize financial integration by combining the excess capital of Gulf international locations with Bangladesh’s productiveness and human assets,” the manifesto pledged.
The doc additionally sought a “speedy decision” of the Rohingya disaster. The BNP stated that the Rohingya disaster was not resolved due to the “failure of the international coverage of a authorities with out folks’s mandate for eight lengthy years,” and added that their celebration handled the difficulty on two events in 1978 and in 1992.
The manifesto introduced that the celebration could have “zero tolerance” for terrorist actions and “is not going to present shelter or assist to any terrorist.”
“A nationwide consensus will probably be constructed towards militancy and extremism and terrorism,” the manifesto acknowledged. It additional acknowledged that Bangladesh will represent a Nationwide Safety Council that can work on safety of sovereignty and credible deterrence functionality.
It additionally promised to boost capability of the diplomatic service with further recruitments and actions of its missions positioned in several elements of the world.
Printed – February 07, 2026 01:10 am IST