Relations between India and Bangladesh have deteriorated to an all-time low 54 years after Delhi played a pivotal role in Dhaka’s liberation from Pakistan. Protests outside high commissions in both capitals highlight escalating tensions amid anti-India slogans and accusations of interference.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, the strain follows the 2024 student uprising that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India. NDTV reported that streets in Bangladesh echo with anti-India chants, while demonstrations began outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi over the lynching of a Hindu man.
Hasina, in exile, referred to India as Bangladesh’s most steadfast friend. She alleged the interim government under Muhammad Yunus is responsible for the rift. The uprising against job quotas for freedom fighters’ families led to hundreds of deaths and Hasina’s resignation.
India backed Bangladesh’s 1971 liberation war against Pakistan’s military, aiding freedom fighters amid refugee influx and strategic interests to weaken Islamabad. Post-liberation ties strengthened, especially under Hasina, with expanded cooperation in trade, defense and connectivity.
The regime change saw attacks on Hindu minorities, prompting Indian concerns that were met with sharp rebuttals from Dhaka. Bangladesh grew closer to China and Pakistan, raising Delhi’s alarms over the Chicken’s Neck corridor linking Northeast India.
Further strain came from Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal sentencing Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, with extradition demands. India noted the ruling but emphasized commitment to Bangladesh’s stability.
A recent trigger was the killing of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi, with rumors of assassins fleeing to India fueling protests. The lynching of Hindu man Dipu Chandra Das over alleged blasphemy sparked outrage in India, amplifying narratives of rising extremism in Bangladesh.
The Chenab Times News Desk
