Final September, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi acquired his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina as a particular visitor on the G20 summit in New Delhi. It was a gesture of cordiality in direction of a neighbour that India thought-about a very shut accomplice.
Now, a 12 months later, that closeness to Hasina has grow to be a headache for India. Earlier this month, pupil protests pressured Hasina to step down from energy after 15 years. Hasina fled to India.
And weeks after Hasina’s ouster, anti-India sentiment in Bangladesh stays excessive, seen in every part from rising requires New Delhi to extradite Hasina to accusations that India is utilizing visas and water alike to assault its neighbor.
Here’s a abstract of every part that affects relations between the 2 international locations:
Opposition calls for Hasina’s extradition
Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 5 in a army helicopter and landed at a army base close to New Delhi, the place she was met by India’s nationwide safety adviser, Ajit Doval. She is believed to have been residing in and across the Indian capital since then.
However requires Hasina’s extradition to Bangladesh are rising.
On Monday, the secretary basic of the primary opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Occasion (BNP), Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, informed Indian media that Hasina ought to be extradited and tried in Bangladesh. Muhammed Quader, the president of the Jatiya Occasion, echoed this demand the identical day. Quader was the chief of the opposition in Bangladesh’s parliament, which was dissolved on August 6.
“India ought to assist Bangladesh maintain her accountable as she has clearly triggered a whole lot of hurt to Bangladesh,” Alamgir was quoted as saying by Indian media. Hasina faces quite a few authorized circumstances, together with homicide investigations.
Final week, the interim authorities of Bangladesh, headed by Nobel laureate Mohammed Yunus, cancelled Hasina’s diplomatic visa. With out it, it’s unclear how lengthy she is going to be capable of legally keep in India. The Indian authorities has not commented on the matter.
Ali Riaz, a professor and political scientist at Illinois State College, stated folks in Bangladesh have been in search of Hasina’s extradition to carry her accountable for alleged enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings that happened in Bangladesh throughout her 15-year rule.
The paramilitary power Speedy Motion Battalion (RAB) was sanctioned by the United Nations for its function within the killings and disappearances.
Since Hasina took workplace in 2009, safety forces have dedicated “greater than 600 disappearances,” Human Rights Watch reported final 12 months.
Is India liable for the floods in Bangladesh?
Bangladesh, together with elements of northeast India together with Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya, skilled heavy rainfall through the month of August.
Bangladesh’s Ministry of Catastrophe Administration and Aid reported on August 23 that roughly 190,000 folks had been moved to emergency shelters. Of Bangladesh’s 64 districts, 11 have been affected by flooding, in keeping with the ministry. A couple of million folks have been lower off from the remainder of the nation because of the flooding.
Nevertheless, rumours started to flow into in Bangladeshi our on-line world that the floods have been attributable to India’s deliberate opening of the Dumbur Dam, which is situated upstream of the Gumti River within the Indian state of Tripura. The Gumti River flows from India into Bangladesh. To this point, there isn’t a proof to help this declare.
India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs issued a press release on August 22 saying the flooding was because of extra rainfall and water from massive catchments downstream of the dam. “We stay dedicated to resolving mutual points and issues on water assets and river water administration by means of bilateral consultations and technical discussions,” the assertion stated. There are 54 transboundary rivers between India and Bangladesh.
Earlier this week, Pranay Verma, India’s excessive commissioner in Bangladesh, informed Yunus that water from the dam was “routinely launched” because of excessive ranges.
Nevertheless, officers at Bangladesh’s Flood Prediction and Warning Centre informed Al Jazeera that in contrast to prior to now, India didn’t situation a warning to its neighbour concerning the launch of water. Such a warning, they added, might have helped stop deaths and destruction.
No matter triggered the flooding, many Bangladeshis have been fast responsible India due to previous experiences with water sharing, Riaz stated. Bangladesh has lengthy sought entry to extra water from its shared rivers; a pact for such a deal has been in limbo for greater than a decade, a sore level for Dhaka.
“Earlier, throughout monsoon, we now have seen Bangladesh being flooded with water, whereas throughout dry season, Bangladesh by no means acquired what it wished,” Riaz stated.
What is occurring at Indian visa facilities in Bangladesh?
Indian Visa Software Centres (IVACS) remained closed in Dhaka and Sathkira in southwestern Bangladesh on Tuesday.
This got here a day after a whole bunch of individuals protested towards delays in processing their visas. India has decreased its diplomatic presence in Dhaka amid safety issues following Hasina’s ouster. On the protests, folks demanded their passports be returned.
Round 1.6 million Bangladeshis visited India in 2023, making it the highest vacation spot for the nation’s residents. Tourism and medical therapy are the primary causes that appeal to Bangladeshis to India.
1 kilometer queue exterior the Indian Visa Centre at Asia’s largest mall, Jamuna.
The road began inside, concerned many aisles, then went out, went to the primary road, went on and on and on 🤣
Who will course of your visa, bro?
Many of the workers returned to India,… picture.twitter.com/PkXAcbCoOC
– বাংলার ছেলে 🇧🇩 (@iSoumikSaheb) August 26, 2024
Why is the connection between Bangladesh and India problematic?
New Delhi and Dhaka have lengthy loved robust diplomatic and commerce relations. The Indian army performed a decisive function in serving to Bangladesh achieve independence from Pakistan in 1971.
In latest a long time, nevertheless, Hasina and her secular Awami League get together have more and more been perceived as extra aligned with Indian pursuits. Lots of Hasina’s critics have accused India of making an attempt to prop up her regime, regardless of mounting proof of undemocratic acts, together with crackdowns on dissent, arrests of critics and alleged makes an attempt to rig elections.
Riaz stated the anger towards India in Bangladesh was “a mirrored image of discontent that has been simmering for years over reputable points.”
“India’s unconditional help for Hasina,” he stated, means it has supported “three fraudulent elections and gross human rights violations.”
He cited the instance of former Indian Exterior Affairs Minister Sujatha Singh’s go to to Bangladesh forward of the 2014 elections to dissuade the Jatiya Occasion from boycotting the polls. “This gave the Awami League a lifeline.” Most opposition events boycotted the elections, which adopted the arrest of senior BNP leaders, together with its chief Begum Khaleda Zia.
In the meantime, incidents of assaults on Bangladeshi Hindus, the nation’s largest minority group, following Hasina’s ouster sparked outrage in India. Modi additionally sounded the alarm internationally by discussing the problem with US President Joe Biden.
I spoke with @POTUS @JoeBiden At present I spoke over the cellphone and had an in depth alternate of views on varied regional and world points, together with the scenario in Ukraine. I reiterated India’s full help for the early return of peace and stability.
We additionally mentioned the scenario in Bangladesh and…
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 26, 2024
On August 9, a whole bunch of protesters gathered in Dhaka to protest towards violence towards Hindus, who make up 8% of the nation’s inhabitants. The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (a gaggle representing the nation’s spiritual minorities) estimated that not less than 52 districts have suffered communal violence since Hasina’s resignation.
Yunus, the interim prime minister of Bangladesh, referred to as Modi on August 16 to guarantee him of the protection of Indians within the nation. “He reiterated India’s help for a democratic, secure, peaceable and progressive Bangladesh,” the Indian prime minister wrote in X.
I acquired a cellphone name from Professor Muhammad Yunus, @ChiefCounselorGoB. They exchanged views on the prevailing scenario. He reiterated India’s help for a democratic, secure, peaceable and progressive Bangladesh. He assured the safety and safety of Indians and all…
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 16, 2024
Riaz stated repairing ties between the 2 international locations was “India’s accountability, by all means” as a result of Hasina’s regime survived due to India’s help.
“Bangladesh has entered a brand new chapter,” Riaz stated, referring to the tip of Hasina’s lengthy rule.
“Indians ought to recalibrate their politics as an alternative of complaining about their scenario. Settle for the truth that Bangladesh has moved ahead and transfer ahead as effectively.”
