Foreign relations of Bangladesh
Country Country ( Official Name ) Notes
Afghanistan Islamic Republic of Afghanistan See Afghanistan-Bangladesh relations Ties between Afghanistan and Bangladesh goes back before the emergence of their modern political borders sharing historical , cultural and trade relations . In 1971 , the Kingdom of Afghanistan was one of the first Muslim countries to recognise the independence of Bangladesh , along with Turkey , Malaysia and Indonesia . They share similar views on international issues such as combating terrorism and increased regional co-operation . A Bangladeshi NGO , BRAC is a part of the reconstruction effort in Afghanistan particularly in microfinance and in 2007 the Afghan ambassador to Bangladesh , Ahmed Karim Nawabi had stated that Afghanistan is interested in recruiting manpower from Bangladesh
Bhutan Kingdom of Bhutan See Bangladesh-Bhutan relations Along with India , Bangladesh is one of the only two nations to have a residential embassy in Bhutan . The relationship between Bhutan and Bangladesh have always been positive since 1971 when the country was the first to recognise the independence of Bangladesh . The business community in Bhutan are asking for more investment from Bangladesh after a meeting in the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry ( FBCCI ) in Dhaka . Imports from Bhutan . during the 07-08 fiscal year , Bhutan 's imports were worth $ 10.8million whereas Bangladesh 's exports to Bhutan was only worth $ 0.78million
India Republic of India See Bangladesh-India relations , Bangladeshis in India and Indians in Bangladesh Generally relations are usually friendly however government to government contacts are sometimes not too good because of border disputes and river disputes . In 2015 they have exchanged enclaves to help demarcate the border and have agreed to work together and end any irritants to ties like smuggling of cows , border killings , and also river disputes . India was the second country to recognise Bangladesh as a separate and independent state , doing so on 6 December 1971 . India helped Bangladeshis during the Bangladesh Liberation war in 1971 . Bangladesh 's relationship with India has been a difficult in terms of irrigation and land border disputes post 1976 . However , Bangladesh has enjoyed favourable relationship with India during governments formed by the Awami League in 1972 and 1996 . At the outset India 's relations with Bangladesh was strong because of India 's support for independence in 1971 . During the independence war , many refugees fled to India . India also intervened militarily and helped bring international attention to the issue through Indira Gandhi 's visit to Washington , D.C . Afterwards India furnished relief and reconstruction aid . India extended recognition to Bangladesh prior to the end of the war in 1971 ( the second country to do so after Bhutan ) and subsequently lobbied others to follow suit . India also withdrew its military from the land of Bangladesh when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman requested Indira Gandhi to do so during latter 's visit to Dhaka in 1972 . Indo-Bangladesh relations have been difficult since the fall of Mujib government in August 1975 over issues such as the Tin Bigha corridor and access to Nepal , the Farakka Barrage and water sharing , border conflicts near Tripura and the construction of a fence along most of the border which India explains as security provision against migrants , insurgents and terrorists . Bilateral relations warmed in 1996 , due to a softer Indian foreign policy and the new Awami League Government . A 30-year water-sharing agreement for the Ganges River was signed in December 1996 , after an earlier bilateral water-sharing agreement for the Ganges River lapsed in 1988 . Both nations also have cooperated on the issue of flood warning and preparedness . The Bangladesh Government and tribal insurgents signed a peace accord in December 1997 , which allowed for the return of tribal refugees who had fled into India , beginning in 1986 , to escape violence caused by an insurgency in their homeland in the Chittagong Hill Tracts . There are also small pieces of land along the border region that Bangladesh is diplomatically trying to reclaim . Padua , part of Sylhet Division before 1971 , has been under Indian control since the war in 1971 . This small strip of land was re-occupied by the BDR in 2001 , but later given back to India after Bangladesh government decided to solve the problem through diplomatic negotiations . In recent years , India has complained that Bangladesh does not secure its border properly . It fears an increasing flow of illegal Bangladeshi migrants and accuses Bangladesh of harbouring Indian separatist groups like ULFA and alleged terrorist groups . The Bangladesh government has consistently denied these accusations . India estimates that over 20 million Bangladeshis are living illegally in India . One Bangladeshi official responded that there is not a single Bangladeshi migrant in India . Since 2002 , India has been constructing an India - Bangladesh Fence along much of the 4,000-kilometre ( 2,500 mi ) border . The failure to resolve migration disputes bears a human cost for illegal migrants , such as imprisonment and health risks ( namely HIV/AIDS ) . In May 2007 , they announced that for the first time since the 1965 Indo-Pak War , rail service between Kolkata and Dhaka will be restored , a lapse of 42 years . Moreover , in October 2007 some co-operation was announced on the border issues mentioned above . After national election 2008 , Awami League formed government in January 2009 , relationship with India improved . In 2014 , a binding ruling by a tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration awarded disputed New Moore island ( called South Talpatti by Bangladesh ) to India , and demarcated the sea boundary
Maldives Republic of the Maldives See Bangladesh-Maldives relations Maldives as a nation dependent on its tourism sector . They asked Bangladesh to export manpower to the island state . At the 15th SAARC Summit , Maldives and Bangladesh met at the sidelines to discuss the possibility of sending more semi-skilled and skilled workers . There are already 40,000 workers in Maldives mostly in unskilled and semi-skilled jobs
Nepal Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal See Bangladesh-Nepal relations Nepal has good bilateral relations with Bangladesh as they view the latter nation as a great access point to the sea giving them the opportunity to develop potential transit and trade facilities and be less dependent on India and China . Nepal recognised Bangladesh on 16 January 1972 and relations further improved after the military coup in August 1975 . The turning point for the two nations occurred in April 1976 , signing a four-point agreement on technical co-operation , trade , transit and civil aviation . They both seek co-operation in the fields of power generation and development of water resources . In 1986 , relations further improved when Bangladesh insisted Nepal should be included on a deal regarding the distribution of water from the Ganges River
Pakistan Islamic Republic of Pakistan See Bangladesh-Pakistan relations The Bangladesh-Pakistan relationship is yet to be at a level that may be called warm . However , since full diplomatic relations were implemented in January 1976 , it has shown improvement in bilateral relations concerning commerce , culture and trade and making reconciliatory agreements . Landmarks in their reconciliation are : An August 1973 agreement between Bangladesh and Pakistan on the repatriation of numerous individuals , including 90,000 Pakistani prisoners of war stranded in Bangladesh as a result of the 1971 conflict ; A February 1974 accord by Bangladesh and Pakistan on mutual diplomatic recognition , followed more than 2 years later by establishment of formal diplomatic relations on 18 January 1976 The organisation by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ( UNHCR ) of an airlift that moved almost 250,000 Bengalis from Pakistan to Bangladesh , and non-Bengalis from Bangladesh to Pakistan ; and Exchanges of high-level visits , including a visit by Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to Bangladesh in 1989 and visits by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to Pakistan in 1992 and in 1995 . Issues need resolving : Division of assets from the pre-1971 period Repatriation of 250,000 ethnic Biharis known as Stranded Pakistanis Possibly the most important and most sensitive issue is Pakistan 's stance on the genocide of 1971 which has led to the breakdown of numerous talks between the two
Sri Lanka Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka See Bangladesh-Sri Lanka relations Relations are historically tied together even beyond the sub-continent 's colonisation by the British . Sri Lanka 's first King ( to be mentioned in the ancient Pali chronicles ) was alleged to have ancestors from the Vanga Kingdom which occupied an area now known as Bangladesh . Bangladesh 's Buddhist minority gifted Sri Lanka with a few strands of hair said to have belonged to Buddha as a sign of goodwill . It is a worshiped object on Poya Day , a Buddhist public holiday in Sri Lanka . In August 2008 , both heads of states discussed the implementation of new air links in hope of increasing trade , investment and stronger cultural links . Sri Lanka 's current investments have been in Bangladesh 's garment and banking sector and expect to diversify into different areas . Bangladesh also hosts a number of Sri Lankan medical students and cricket as a form of friendly communications between their people . Some Sri Lankan Navy officers have studied at the Bangladesh Naval Academy
Asia -- South Asia
Bangladesh maintains friendly relations with Bhutan , Maldives , Nepal , and Sri Lanka and also India , although there was a border dispute , but with that solved relations between Bangladesh and India are becoming much closer . [ 11 ] It strongly opposed the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan . Bangladesh and Nepal recently agreed to facilitate land transit between the two countries .
The foreign relations share the Bangladeshi government's policies in its external relations with the international community. The country pursues a moderate foreign policy that places heavy reliance on multinational diplomacy, especially at the United Nations and World Trade Organization (WTO). Since independence in 1971, the country has stressed its principle of Friendship towards all, malice towards none in dictating its diplomacy. As a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Bangladesh has tended to not take sides with major powers. Since the end of the Cold War, the country has pursued better relations with regional neighbours. Inspired by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's vision for a Switzerland of the East, the Bangladesh government has begun to translate the ideal into a foreign policy that pursues regional economic integration in South Asia and aims to establish Bangladesh as a regional hub of transit trade in Asia.