Bangladesh's ruling BNP hails BJP's historic Bengal win

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday formally extended its congratulations to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following its electoral victory in West Bengal. Speaking to an agency, Azizul Baree Helal, Information Secretary of the BNP, praised the BJP's performance under the leadership of Suvendu Adhikari. "I congratulate the winner, Suvendu Adhikari's BJP party. I think this victory of the BJP, under the leadership of Suvendu Adhikari, will ensure the relationship between West Bengal and the Bangladesh government remains the same as before, in a good manner. The relationship will be built up. I congratulate the BJP's win", said Azizul Baree Helal.
Bangladesh demands an equitable share of Teesta waters, but the agreement remains pending due to opposition from West Bengal, citing its own water needs. In 2011, an attempt was made to resolve the dispute when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited Bangladesh. Proposed agreement aimed at allocating 37.5% of Teesta's waters to Bangladesh and 42.5% to India. However, the West Bengal govt opposed it, arguing that it would harm its agricultural interests. India and Bangladesh share 54 common rivers, but only two treaties have been signed: the Ganga Waters Treaty and the Kushiyara River Treaty. Other major rivers, such as the Teesta and Feni, are still under negotiation. Despite the clear ideological divide between the centre-right BNP and the BJP, Helal noted that national interests often supersede party doctrine.

#WATCH | Dhaka, Bangladesh | On the results of West Bengal assembly elections 2026, BNP Information Secretary Azizul Baree Helal says, "I am stunned that in West Bengal, TMC, was massively defeated after holding power for a long time. I congratulate the winner, Suvendu Adhikari's… pic.twitter.com/hK0JvaxuNO

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Bangladesh's minister Shama Obaed Islam, however, said the Bengal election results would not impact Dhaka's foreign policy towards India. "In our country, foreign policy, we have said many times before, and we say it again today, is Bangladesh First. No matter which government is in another country, it does not change our foreign policy," Islam said while responding to a question about the BJP's win in Bengal.
In the hills, the TMC, or even its allies there, failed to leave a footprint in the four districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri, and Alipurduar that had 18 seats. The BJP bagged 40 of the 54 assembly seats in the entire north Bengal, slashing the Trinamool's tally from its earlier 23 seats to just 14.