On Border between India and Bangladesh
Imagine a 4,096-kilometre-long border that twists through rivers, forests, and villages, connecting and separating India and Bangladesh at the same time. It’s more than just a line on a map—it’s a lively area where trade, politics, security issues, and cultural connections all come together. As the sun sets over the Padma River, casting its light on both countries, one big question remains: is this border helping them move forward together, or keeping them stuck in the past?
India and Bangladesh share a close economic relationship thanks to their geography, but there’s a big gap in how much each country gains. In 2023–24, the total trade between them hit $14.01 billion. Of that, India sold Bangladesh goods worth $12.04 billion—like cotton, machinery, and fuel—while buying only $1.97 billion in return, mostly jute and seafood. This leaves India with a trade surplus of $10.07 billion. For Bangladesh, this imbalance puts pressure on its foreign currency reserves, especially since its $50 billion garment industry depends heavily on materials from India. On top of that, tough Indian certification rules and recent ban in transshipment through India make it harder for Bangladeshi exports to flow smoothly.
The Petrapole-Benapole border crossing is a key trade point, but it highlights the problems too. In 2023, outdated infrastructure and slow customs processes reportedly caused around $100 million in losses—mostly because goods, especially perishables, were stuck in long queues. While official numbers are limited, given that over 70% of land-based trade goes through this route, the estimate seems believable. India’s 2022 anti-dumping duties on Bangladeshi jute—meant to protect Indian producers—have also hurt Bangladesh’s jute sector, which employs over 4 million people.
Still, there’s room for optimism. The 2015 Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) solved a long-standing border issue by swapping 162 enclaves, making life and trade easier for people in those areas. India also provides about $150 million a year in aid and loans, helping fund projects like the Maitree Bridge that improve connectivity. With Bangladesh on track to leave its Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2026, Bangladesh may pursue for a free trade agreement (FTA) with India. This could lower tariffs and boost trade, but India is cautious—it wants to make sure such a deal doesn’t turn Bangladesh into a backdoor for Chinese products.
Politically, the India-Bangladesh border is a mix of teamwork and tension. The human toll is very high: between 2010 and 2023, over 1,300 Bangladeshis were reportedly killed by the BSF. Dhaka sees this as excessive force, while India defends it as necessary to prevent crime. Either way, it creates mistrust between the two nations.
One of the most heated issues is illegal migration. Though the exact number is debated, some estimates say over 15 million “undocumented Bangladeshis” live in India, sparking local tensions, especially in states like Assam and Tripura. The border is porous, which doesn’t just make migration easy—it also allows cross-border crime.
Security on the border has improved in some ways but still faces problems. By 2025, India fenced about 3,180 kilometres of the border—up from 2,800 kilometres in 2015—but some areas remain open, affecting daily life for border communities. Bangladesh has asked India to use non-lethal methods like rubber bullets and better training for its forces. India has pushed back, saying it needs strong tactics for effective control.
From a geopolitical perspective, Bangladesh has all the vulnerabilities to become a pawn in a larger power struggle. India sees it as a crucial ally—both to push back against China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and to connect to its own northeastern states through its “Act East” policy. China, meanwhile, is investing heavily in Bangladesh, including $2 billion in for upgrades at the Chittagong and Mongla ports. India worries these ports might be used for military purposes, not just trade.
Bangladesh has played its cards smartly. In 2022, it got a $500 million defence loan from India to buy patrol boats and radar systems. At the same time, it signed a $1 billion railway deal with China. In 2018, it joined a three-way deal with India and Russia for the Rooppur nuclear plant—Russia is building it, while India is helping train the staff. This move helps balance out China’s growing influence. But after 2024, that balance is shifting towards China. A less India-friendly administration is opening the door for China—or even Pakistan—to gain more ground.
The Rohingya refugee crisis adds more pressure. Since 2017, over 1.2 million people have fled violence in Myanmar and taken shelter in Bangladesh, costing the country around $1 billion a year. Despite the scale of the crisis, both India and China—unwilling to upset Myanmar’s military government—have offered only limited help. Bangladesh is left carrying the burden alone. The combination of refugee strain and geopolitical competition calls for a regional solution, but India’s focus on security over humanitarian cooperation has slowed real progress.
The story of the India-Bangladesh border goes beyond trade figures and territory—it touches on identity, history, and ethics. Drawn during the Partition in 1947, the border split the Bengali-speaking population into two nations, leaving behind deep emotional and cultural scars. One striking example is the strange case of the enclaves—111 Indian and 51 Bangladeshi—which were finally exchanged in 2015. These pockets of land once trapped around 50,000 people in a stateless limbo, showing how arbitrary and unnatural the border can be.
India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has a controversial “shoot-to-kill” approach, which led to over 1,300 deaths in 13 years. This raises tough moral questions: is such deadly force really needed to protect national borders, or does it strip vulnerable people of their humanity? India says it’s about maintaining law and order, but critics like Amnesty International call it excessive and inhumane. In Bangladesh, this feeds a sense of being bullied—economically, culturally, and politically—while India worries about losing control. These opposing views are shaped by politics and often drown out the deeper connections the two countries share—like the music of Lalon Fakir or the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore.
Still, the border doesn’t have to be a barrier. Border markets, or “haats”—36 of them by 2023—allow villagers to exchange goods like fish, spices, and even friendly conversations. These small spaces show that borders can be flexible—less like walls and more like windows. With the right mindset, they can become places of connection instead of conflict.
Strategic Recommendations for Bangladesh
Bangladesh needs to take bold steps to turn its current problems into future opportunities:
1. Broaden the Economy: To reduce its heavy reliance on India, Bangladesh should boost trade with Southeast Asia, Japan, Central Asia and the EU—regions where its garment exports already bring billions. If it signs a free trade agreement (FTA) with India, the focus should be on boosting Bangladeshi exports like jute and leather. It should also push for Indian investment in upgrading border infrastructure, such as securing $200 million for improving the Petrapole-Benapole crossing.
2. Ensure Political Stability: To strengthen cooperation with India on security, Bangladesh must first calm its own political unrest. Setting up joint anti-trafficking teams could help fight cross-border crime, but Dhaka should press India to adopt non-lethal border enforcement—like using drones instead of bullets—to protect innocent lives.
3. Keep Geopolitical Balance: While walking the fine line between India and China, Bangladesh should also look to countries like Japan or Russia for help with funding infrastructure projects. This would help avoid falling into debt traps linked to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. At the same time, Bangladesh should take the lead at the UN in pushing for the return of Rohingya refugees, which now cost the country around $1 billion a year.
4. Build Cultural Bridges: Bangladesh can soften political tensions by deepening cultural ties with India. Expanding border markets (haats) from 36 to 50 would help, along with organising things like film festivals and student exchange programmes. Celebrating shared culture could help bring people together, even when politics tries to pull them apart.
Beyond the Border
The India-Bangladesh border reflects many of today’s big challenges—growing economic opportunities held back by unfair trade, trust strained by violence, global ambitions limited by competition, and ideals often at odds with the messy reality on the ground. For Bangladesh to move forward, it needs to stay flexible in its economy, firm in its politics, smart in managing global ties, and open in its cultural connections. Only then can this border—shaped by history and shaped by power struggles—become a space that brings the two countries together, not keeps them apart, paving the way for a future as meaningful as their shared past.
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Geopolits Desk
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