Mango diplomacy? Bangladesh sends a sweet message to Bengal CM amid border tensions

In a symbolic gesture of goodwill, the Bangladesh government has sent a consignment of 100 kg of mangoes to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, with the fruits reaching Kolkata on Wednesday after crossing the international border a day earlier. The move from Dhaka came at a time when the two nations witnessed brief tensions regarding the deportation of illegal immigrants from West Bengal.

The consignment entered India through the Benapole land border on Tuesday and was first received at the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata. It was subsequently delivered to the Chief Minister's office on Wednesday.

The exchange of seasonal mangoes has long been an essential part of India-Bangladesh diplomacy. Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina utilised Hilsa and mangoes to strengthen ties with India. She often sent these items to ex-Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Indian PM Narendra Modi.

Even after her ouster, Bangladesh continued sending mangoes to India. The Yunus administration in Bangladesh sent mangoes to PM Modi amid strained ties between the two nations.

However, this time, Dhaka’s mango move has sparked interest in Bengal’s political circles, mainly for two reasons. One, several politicians objected to some remarks made by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The list includes Nahid Islam, the founding convenor of the National Citizen Party (NCP).

Besides, the pushback against undocumented immigrants also led to several standoffs between India’s Border Security Forces (BSF) and Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). On some occasions, BGB even tried to stop the pushback attempt by the BSF, which resulted in confrontations. However, the two recently held talks over the illegal border crossing issue.

Against this backdrop, the mango diplomacy appears to signal Dhaka's intent to preserve cordial ties with New Delhi, particularly with the West Bengal government.

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