India has heaved a big sigh of relief as the Bangladesh electorate has returned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to power with a massive majority in the recently concluded Parliamentary elections. The mood in the country was ecstatic and pro-liberation and secular forces have heaved a sigh of relief as the entry of former foreign minister, Dr Kamal Hossain, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) – and under a loose alliance with the Jamat-e-Islami (a fundamentalist organization owing allegiance to Pakistan) – seemed to challenge the Hasina regime. The mandate is now clear in Bangladesh with the complete rout of fundamentalist and reactionary forces which are cardinally opposed to secular and liberal lobbies and ties against India.

More importantly, the defeat of the BNP and their affiliates is a clear and conclusively evident sign which shows that the Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), reputedly hitherto active, has been decisively outclassed.

It has also ended any chance of the ISI meddling in the internal affairs of a sovereign Bangladesh, and put an end to attempts to wean away the Bangladesh Awami League from growing proximity to India. With the overwhelming victory, Hasina has to redraw her policies to reaffirm trust and faith in her electorate. First and foremost should be a priority to focus on development and clean governance, bereft of any scope of corruption.The Bangladeshi people are politically very sensitive. If they can be euphoric with a resounding victory, they can be equally agitated with any non-performance. Hasina, therefore, must deliver to her people with a result-oriented performance.

Hasina government no doubt has been pro –development and during her three terms, the country has grown economically with GDP poised to touch 10 per cent. This is also good news for North East since an economically developed Bangladesh will prevent its people leaving for India, where they get better opportunities. For the last four decades or so, the region has seen heavy influx of people from Bangladsh. At the same time, we cannot also pooh-pooh their role in infrastructure development in almost all states of the North east including Arunachal Pradesh, though we forget the workers behind the edifices that rise to sky high or the roads and bridges that transcend state boundaries. With an economically advanced Bangladesh,, there will be less cross border infiltration now.