In February 2005, the UPA government was not willing to let Gyanendra exploit the SAARC summit to earn political legitimacy. This time around New Delhi appears quite willing to cut a lot of political slack for the new leaders of Bangladesh and have them at the SAARC summit.

Having assessed that there is a lot positive in what the caretaker government has done so far, and recognising the widespread popular welcome to its moves in Bangladesh, New Delhi is quite happy to wait and see how the situation develops. Second, Mukherjee must find ways to deliver a consistent message to all sides in Dhaka. He needs to disabuse misperceptions on the part of the Awami League led by Sheikh Hasina and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party led by Khaleda Zia, that India will pressurise the new dispensation to hold immediate

elections.

At the same time, Mukherjee must also make it clear to the caretaker government, that it should not take for granted the current empathy from India and the international community with the new reformist agenda in Dhaka.

Advising restraint to the political parties, avoidance of an over-reach to the caretaker government, and a strong encouragement to the new forward looking political trends led by the likes of Muhammad Yunus, should be the essence of Mukherjee’s message in Dhaka.

Mukherjee surely recognises that Bangladesh today has an opportunity to reorganise the rules of the political game that had reached a dead-end earlier this year.

If that requires a temporary suspension of democracy and the marginalisation of traditional political actors, India should be prepared to give this scenario a chance.

... contd.