Bangladesh’s BNP-led government is reviewing 101 agreements and memorandums of understanding signed with India during the previous Awami League government. BNP Parliament Chief Whip Nurul Islam Moni announced that the government would review the agreements and announce its findings soon.

The review also covers agreements related to the use of Bangladeshi ports by Indian vessels. Asked about the future of these arrangements, Moni said the government was examining all 101 agreements. “We are discussing all the agreements with India. You will see the outcome very soon," Nurul Islam Moni said.

Moni said Bangladesh wanted to maintain friendly relations with India but would place its national interests first. He accused the previous Awami League government of compromising Bangladesh’s interests while strengthening ties with New Delhi.

Without naming India, Moni alleged that vessels from a “friendly country" received preferential treatment at Chattogram Port. He claimed such vessels were sometimes unloaded before Bangladeshi vessels, even when both arrived at the port.

Bangladesh and India signed an agreement in 2015 to facilitate the movement of goods to and from India through the Chattogram and Mongla ports. The arrangement gave India an alternative route to transport goods to its landlocked northeastern states. The port access issue has now come under political scrutiny as Dhaka reviews its agreements with New Delhi.

Moni also alleged that goods-laden vehicles from the country were allowed to travel through Bangladesh without paying charges. The government has not yet specified which of the 101 agreements would be retained, amended or cancelled.

The review comes after remarks by Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir. He said Dhaka needed to move beyond its “fascination with India" and redefine bilateral ties around mutual interests. Kabir later said the government was reviewing the 101 agreements through the parliamentary process.

Kabir has also called for Bangladesh-India relations to be managed through direct bilateral engagement. The review includes agreements signed during the previous Awami League administration, covering areas such as infrastructure and connectivity.

The Chattogram and Mongla port arrangements remain among the agreements facing political scrutiny. Their importance comes from India’s access to Bangladesh’s transport network and routes towards its northeastern states. However, Dhaka has not announced plans to scrap all 101 agreements. Officials have so far described the exercise as a review, with decisions expected after each agreement is examined.