New Delhi, May 20: Despite political tensions following the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, Bangladesh continues to receive uninterrupted electricity supply from India. Since the political shift, there has been a surge in anti-India rhetoric, raising concerns about the state of relations between the two nations. However, the energy supply from India has remained consistent, thanks to the cross-border electricity infrastructure developed over the years.
Both countries have worked together to strengthen their energy partnership, establishing pipelines, power grids, and shared infrastructure critical to Bangladesh’s economy. Concerns were raised that the sudden political changes in Dhaka might disrupt this vital system.
According to an article published in Eurasia Review, despite the political dialogue between India and Bangladesh reaching a challenging phase by September 2024, and administrative processes like visa normalization slowing down, the electricity supply from India to Bangladesh remained nearly unchanged.
The article referenced official data from India’s National Load Dispatch Center, which recorded approximately 47.7 million units of electricity supplied to Bangladesh in a single day on September 18, 2024. This indicates the deep connection between the energy systems of both countries, despite fluctuations in political relations.
This energy relationship has persisted because, by 2024, the electricity cooperation between India and Bangladesh had evolved beyond reliance on any single leader’s goodwill or a specific diplomatic climate.
The partnership is based on long-term agreements, technical coordination between grid operators, and interconnected infrastructure. Disrupting this arrangement would lead to immediate and severe consequences for both nations.
Reports indicate that Bangladesh’s factories, hospitals, and urban electricity networks have become significantly dependent on electricity imports from India. Meanwhile, India’s grid operators also have defined commercial and technical responsibilities. This mutual dependency has allowed the arrangement to continue despite political challenges.
The article also highlighted that Bangladesh was already facing economic difficulties at that time. There was pressure on foreign exchange reserves, fuel imports had become expensive, and public trust in institutions had not fully recovered following the political changes. A disruption in electricity supply could have adversely affected factory operations, increased load shedding in cities, and led to public discontent, posing a significant crisis for the government.
Nevertheless, the continued electricity supply allowed industrial activities to maintain normal levels, helping the new government avoid a major crisis. The article noted that India did not exploit this situation for political leverage.
It stated, “A power disruption leading to darkness in factories, increased load shedding in cities, and rising public frustration during a time of governmental weakness would have been detrimental. However, electricity continued to flow, keeping industrial production at workable levels and sparing the new government from an unnecessary crisis.”
The article emphasized that India deserves credit for choosing not to capitalize on the potential advantages arising from Bangladesh’s political changes.
It concluded, “Typically, countries dependent on neighbors for essential energy imports find themselves in a vulnerable position. However, India refrained from exerting pressure. It allowed institutional commitments to function, treating the energy relationship as separate from the political difficulties between the two governments. This restraint itself was a form of diplomacy.”
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