By Nirendra Dev

New Delhi, July 15 (UNI) The robust India-Bangladesh friendship has come into focus as the dates for the vital parliamentary elections in Bangladesh are drawing closer.
In fact, there have been spurt in events and episodes related to ties between two neighbours with Indian establishment displaying a proactive interest by standing alongside Bangladesh when it disallowed entry to BNP leader Khaleda Zia's British lawyer Lord Alexander Carlile.
Needless to add, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's visit to Dhaka underlines India's appreciation of the fact that once "fundamentalist and pro-Pakistan forces" gain upper hand and can dethrone Sheikh Hasina, anti-India forces will again find toehold in that country.
So far, Indian government's handling of matters related to Bangladesh has been good.
Sources in the ruling BJP also believe that Khaleda Zia-led party's efforts to gain "political legitimacy" in Indian socio-political spectrum and media did not yield expected results.
"Elections in Bangladesh are due by the year end and so far Sheikh Hasina's Awami League seemed to have upper hand as the party lately also swept the Gazipur civic elections," says a BJP leader.
"Indian government's decision to deport BNP lawyer Lord Carlile was a decision in the right direction," he said.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh has paid a visit to Bangladesh and during his meeting with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Dhaka has conveyed that - "In line with its zero-tolerance policy against terrorism and violent extremism, Bangladesh doesn't allow its territory to be used by any terrorist individual, group and entity against any state or people".
For his part, Mr Singh also tweeted saying: “Had an extremely fruitful meeting with the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina in Dhaka. We discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest".
BNP's pro-Pakistan and pro-Jamaat-e-Islami inclination has been also a matter of concern for Indian security agencies, sources said.
While Indian government for last decade or so has been enjoying a good rapport with Sheikh Hasina regime, the Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has an "immense trust deficit" with New Delhi due to its harbouring of Indian insurgents in the past.
Moreover, the BNP has often attempted to create an anti-Indian hysteria in the country.
But lately the BNP leadership has tried to engage with India when its leaders Humayun Kabir and Abdul Awal Mintoo visited India in June and also met a few top officials in the Ministry of External Affairs.
For record, the Indian government has tried to maintain equi-distance from both Sheikh Hasina's Awami League and BNP of Khaleda Zia.
MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar last week did not fail to point out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj also met BNP leaders in the past.
"Our engagement with Bangladesh opposition party (BNP) is very clear, you would have seen that whenever our dignitaries visit Bangladesh, we have meetings with them (Opposition leaders)".
"We do engage with all the sections of the Bangladeshi political spectrum," MEA spokesman has said.
However, those following India-Bangladesh matters maintain India should "consolidate" its position further vis-a-vis New Delhi's key eastern neighbour and ensure that Sheikh Hasina should return to power, says the senior BJP leader.
UNI DEVN ADG 1548