Mamata Banerjee sends a ‘shubhonandan’ message to Tarique ‘bhai’ for Bangladesh win

West Bengal CM posted a message in Bangla, a shared language of India and Bangladesh, for Tarique Rahman, who is set to become PM of neighbouring country

Updated on: Feb 13, 2026, 13:51:59 IST

By HT News Desk

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Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of the Indian state of West Bengal, sent out greetings to Tarique Rahman, who is set to become the prime minister of Bangladesh after a massive win in the elections on Friday.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee congratulated Tarique Rahman for his Bangladesh election victory in both Bangla and English on X. (PTI File Photo)

Calling Tarique Rahman “bhai” or brother, she posted a message in Bangla as well as English, "My hearty congratulations, shubhonandan, to all my brothers and sisters, all the people, in Bangladesh. My advance Ramazan mubarak to all of them," sending out wishes also for the Muslim holy month that starts soon.

She added, “For this great victory, my congratulations to my Tarique-Bhai, his party, and all the parties. Pray, you all be well and happy. Wish that our relations with Bangladesh be always cordial.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated Tarique Rahman after the BNP's sweep. “I convey my warm congratulations to Mr. Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership,” wrote Modi on X.

“India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals,” he added.

The mention of “inclusive” comes at a time when Hindus and other minorities in Muslim-majority Bangladesh have been targets of violence in the period since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina in a violent revolt in 2024.

Sheikh Hasina is in self-exile in New Delhi, which has been a point of contention between India and Bangladesh under the interim regime of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus too.

With Tarique Rahman — whose late mother ex-PM Khaleda Zia was Hasina's main rival — in power, the question of Hasina's extradition is back under the lens in the Delhi-Dhaka equation.

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