Five and a half decades later, Bangladesh–India relations now stand before a difficult reality. After the 2024 mass uprising, Bangladesh has changed significantly; a new force has emerged at the centre of power.

Two paths lie ahead—either deny this change and remain rooted in the past, or accept the altered reality and seek a new direction. Which path will we choose?

One thing is clear. At this moment, the main crisis for both countries is former prime minister Sheikh Hasina; both nations are entangled over her. Although the court completed its judicial responsibility by sentencing her to death, the implementation of this verdict has now become a thorn in the throat of the Yunus government.

Many people, especially those who directly took part in the mass uprising, demand that Hasina be immediately brought back to the country and the verdict carried out. Yet even a fool understands that this is impossible without India’s consent. Still, various flimsy arguments are being offered to claim that she will eventually be brought back, even if it requires going to an international court. But this crisis is not about just one individual; it is the inevitable outcome of long-standing structural flaws in the relationship between the two countries.