Ill winds blow in Bangladesh The Statesman 23 Dec 2025

https://epaper.thestatesman.com/4096967/Kolkata-The-Statesman/23RD-DECEMBER-2025#page/9/2

Ill winds blow in Bangladesh The Statesman 23 Dec 2025

          The death of Sharif Osman Hadi in Singapore, where he had been taken for treatment after being shot in an assassination attempt, resulted in violence across Bangladesh. Hadi was an anti-Indian activist and convenor of Inqilab Moncho, a group formed in the wake of the 2024 student-led uprising, which led to the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina regime. Expectedly, the blame for the killing shifted onto India.

This incident comes about two months before Bangladesh is to go to polls to elect a new government. Since the exit of the Hasina regime, relations between India and Bangladesh have been deteriorating as Yunus has sought to improve ties with India’s adversaries. He has also advocated for a SAARC, sans India.

          The Bangladesh Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, who continues to reside in India, has been banned from forthcoming polls, while she has been sentenced to death over her role in curbing the students protests. Her trial has been negatively commented upon by global Human Rights bodies. Her party, the largest in the country, has threatened to protest, which could increase violence levels as elections draw close.

          Current protests, apart from torching major media houses, Prothom Alo and the Daily Star, assumed to be pro-India, also attempted to target the Indian embassy and consulates within the country. In addition, a Hindu youth, 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das was lynched and his body set ablaze while the residence of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Chhayanaut, a hub for Bengali arts, damaged. Places were specifically selected to project an anti-India sentiment.   

          While protestors were prevented from entering Indian consular assets, work in them came to a standstill. The Indian government summoned the Bangladesh High Commissioner and registered a protest. The Bangladesh army chief telephonically assured his Indian counterpart that their army would protect Indian assets.  

It is possible that Hadi was killed by either the ISI or by anti-India elements within Bangladesh to enhance anti-India sentiments. This would also ensure that the next government continues with the same policy as also protests by the Awami League against their banning, collapse.

It could also be an excuse to delay elections. Without naming anyone Yunus had mentioned, ‘The objective of the conspirators (killing Hadi) is to derail the election.’ It was with this intent that Yunus hailed Hadi as a martyr and claimed the killers were linked to the Awami League and had fled to India.

The interim government declared a day’s state mourning and announced the conduct of special prayers in honour of Hadi. Yunus along with his advisory council members and the army chief attended Hadi’s funeral. 

Its foreign office announced it has asked India’s cooperation to ‘prevent the escape to India of the suspects (Hadi’s killers) involved,’ implying an Indian hand. In the same voice it has demanded India repatriate Sheikh Hasina. This added to public anger against India.

          An anti-India narrative is also being played out by Pakistan’s ISI in Bangladesh, targeting youth, largely unaware of the atrocities committed by Pakistan during the freedom struggle. The theme has been that India has exploited Bangladesh and unduly interfered in its internal matters throughout the rule of the Awami League. It is also pushing for increased radicalization.  

The official blaming of India for Hadi’s killing would play into the hands of anti-India political parties including the Jamaat-e-Islami. Distrust has risen to levels where the Indian army is establishing posts to monitor the Indo-Bangladesh border especially in the vulnerable Chicken’s Neck region. This was unheard off till last year.

The anti-India wave, including projecting a larger Bangladesh, which includes parts of Indian territory, is being fuelled by the Yunus government to switch mindset from its failures. Bangladesh’s economy is sinking, unemployment rising, inflation increasing and the government unable to meet basic demands of the public.

Yunus was selected to head the interim government to transform the country and improve its economy. However, the reverse has happened. By worsening ties with Delhi, cooperation in all fields came to a standstill. Facing failure, Yunus began playing the anti-India card by moving closer to Pakistan and China, hoping to force Delhi to accede to his requests. It did not happen.

China will only provide loans at high rates of interest while Pakistan has nothing to offer except build anti-India narratives and exploit Bangladesh territory for expanding insurgencies in India’s North East as also use the country as an additional route of infiltration for Kashmiri terrorists. Increased visits to the country by Pakistan’s military and ISI officials add credence.

Banking on the US will only be effective till they exploit Bangladesh to support pro-democracy resistance movements in Myanmar as a counter to Chinese influence. Post that Bangladesh will be left to fend for itself.

The only nation which Bangladesh can historically bank upon is India. India’s growth was carrying Bangladesh. India was Bangladesh’s second-largest trading partner with trade at USD 12 billion. Bangladesh exploited Indian markets, its ports, territory for exports to Nepal and Bhutan as also obtained food essentials and medical supplies at discounted rates. India was always the first responder whenever Bangladesh faced a natural disaster.

The ongoing anti-India wave is far more damaging for Bangladesh. All claims of a greater Bangladesh mean nothing, as it lacks resources and military power to do so. The over 4100 Kms border implies the nation is surrounded on three sides by India, while this is also a challenge for Indian security forces.    

The Bangladesh leadership is repeating Pakistan’s narrative. The Pak economy is in tatters, surviving on loans from the IMF and other global institutions, inflation is high, unemployment on the rise, while internally there is a battle for power with Asim Munir taking control of all institutions. Gulf nations are returning Pak nationals while refusing to grant fresh visas. Internally, Pakistan’s western provinces face major security upheavals.

To divert minds of the common man, Pak narratives highlight fake Indian atrocities in Kashmir, targeting of minorities, stalled Indus Water Treaty and Delhi’s refusal to discuss Kashmir. The public is pushed into believing that all their problems emanate from India. This enables the military and political leadership to empty the country’s coffers and exploit its gullible populace. Bangladesh is adopting the same playbook.

Unless the public understands the game being played by the Yunus government, the country will continue to sink. If it has to restore its economy, it needs India. Accusing India would only be detrimental. Time for the nation to decide.