A neighbour in trouble: Bangladesh returns to the brink
Bangladesh is again in the headlines. Once known as the world’s garment factory, the country is now caught in a mix of anger, violence, and deep anxiety. Streets that earlier buzzed with trade and hope are today filled with slogans, police sirens and fear. Mob violence, attack on media, intimidation of the press, political killings, attacks on minorities, and sharpening tensions with India have created a sense that the country is slowly losing its balance and perhaps its secular character. General elections have been announced for February 2026, but without allowing the former ruling political party to participate. It was believed that with the announcement of elections in February, there would be some calmness, tempers would go down; instead, they seem to have deepened fear on the streets, lawlessness, and uncertainty rule.
At the heart of the turmoil, Bangladesh is facing a collapse of trust: between citizens and the state, between rival political camps, and increasingly, between Dhaka and New Delhi. The immediate triggers are shocking. Within days, two Hindu men were beaten to death by mobs, one of them lynched and set ablaze. Another Hindu youth was reportedly killed in Rajbari district. The majority of the Minorities are now living under fear, as there is no rule of law, leading to a wider pattern of insecurity faced by minorities. Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian groups say fear has become part of everyday life. Weak police action and slow justice have only made things worse. When mobs seem to get away without punishment, minorities feel it is a sign that their lives matter less.
Equally, student politics, always a sensitive issue in Bangladesh, has once again turned deadly. The killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a well-known youth leader who rose during last year’s mass protests, shocked the nation. Soon after, another student leader was shot in the head. These incidents suggest that political rivalry is sliding into outright criminal violence. For a country proud of its young population, the use of bullets to silence young voices is equally deeply worrying. The students themselves do not know how criminal gangs or some political groups in their garb are taking advantage.
All eyes were on the media to play a fourth estate role. However, criminal elements and perhaps someone using the criminal elements have attacked the media, too. The burning and vandalism of the offices of Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, two of Bangladesh’s most respected newspapers, marked a dark chapter for press freedom. Editors and local reports now say the bigger worry is no longer free speech, but personal safety. When journalists fear violent mobs more than the law, society loses one of its strongest safeguards against rumours and extremism. In addition, there is no check on social media. Its contents are only making the situation worse.
All this is happening under an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate whose moral standing once inspired confidence. Today, his administration looks stretched and unsure in the face of growing unrest. Bangladesh’s critics accuse it of hesitation, while opponents and several political observers say it has failed to control radical groups. Sheikh Hasina, the ousted prime minister, in her latest comments, accused the interim government of allowing “unspeakable atrocities” against non-Muslims and creating dangerous precedents. Many see her words as politically motivated, yet they strike a chord because the violence is real and visible. Hasina’s record against the opposition has also not remained good. Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, last week, even seen somewhat with suspicion, framed charges against her and others over alleged enforced disappearances during her rule. Bangladesh’s institutions are being used as weapons in political battles rather than as neutral arbiters.
The latest entry of the confused political arena of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, returned to Dhaka from the US on Christmas Day, after 17 years in exile. Even though his homecoming has energised the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is gearing up to take the reins of the country post February elections. Tarique Rahman promises safety and justice, but his past, marked by corruption cases and bitter rivalry with the Awami League, also reminds Bangladeshis of an era when politics often paralysed governance. His return raises the stakes in an already flammable environment.
The unrest inside Bangladesh has its shadows of violence on its borders as the relations with India continue to remain strained. New Delhi has repeatedly expressed concern over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, a sensitive issue given domestic politics in India. Protests by right-wing groups outside the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi, early this week, have further inflamed tempers. Dhaka responded by summoning India’s high commissioner and accusing Indian authorities of failing to protect its diplomatic missions. India, in turn, summoned the Bangladeshi envoy, sought a thorough probe into political killings, and rejected what it called false narratives blaming India for Bangladesh’s unrest, equally blaming Bangladesh for not providing foolproof security to the Indian High Commission and its consulates in Bangladesh.
This tit-for-tat diplomacy, in the absence of a trust factor, leads to a sharp downturn in the relationship between the two countries that had always relatively remained stable in recent years. Under Sheikh Hasina, Dhaka and New Delhi cooperated closely on security, connectivity, and trade. India valued Hasina as a reliable partner against cross-border militancy and terrorism. With her gone and the streets in turmoil, Indian policymakers fear unpredictability. The suspension of visa services by Bangladeshi missions in India, and by Indian missions in Bangladesh, is a small but telling sign of how quickly people-to-people ties can suffer when politics turns toxic.
Now, as anti-India slogans at protests in Bangladesh continue to increase and in reprisal, reactions from India continue to grow over attacks on minorities, the risk of feeding a dangerous cycle of hate between the two countries is not ruled out. India proudly feels that it brought them independence from the clutches of those violating their individual rights, but a section of those who, even at the time of independence, were against the liberation of Bangladesh, wants to take over the reins of power. Each incident is magnified by television debates and social media posts, hardening views on both sides. Such an atmosphere helps extremist and radical groups, who present themselves as defenders of religion or the nation. The real sufferers are ordinary people, including traders, students, patients, and families, who often struggle to understand geopolitics. The current situation is further leading to the creation of thicker and colder borders.
Bangladesh needs to return to its basics, step back from the edge in difficult times, lest its resilient economy and young population suffer in the long run. The interim government must protect minorities, punish mob violence, and defend the media. If the Bangladesh population, who have earned their independence, continue to remain silent or hesitate, it will only encourage attackers and radicals to take over. Political parties must control their supporters and reject the language of revenge. Justice must be fair and equal, not used as a tool against rivals.
India, seen as the elder brother of the region, too, has a responsibility. They not only need to raise concerns about minority safety but also need to help Bangladesh to support how to overcome this phase and prevent it from falling into a morass of uncertainty. Quiet diplomacy will be more effective than public posturing. Both countries must also ensure the safety of diplomats and avoid letting street anger shape foreign policy. Bangladesh now again stands at a difficult crossroads. One path leads to deeper disorder, strained ties with neighbours and a shrinking democratic space. The other requires restraint, courage and a renewed commitment to pluralism, the belief that the country belongs to all others who call it home. The vestigial interests of a few should not hijack its rich culture. Bangladesh needs India more than it needed earlier. Bangladesh needs to be protected and allowed to thrive. India, as a neighbour along with global players, needs to see that the dictates of the radicals and extremists should not be nurtured. The choice Bangladesh makes will shape not only its own future but the stability of the wider region. The world is watching, and the time for clear decisions is now, before confusion and chaos deepen further.
Surinder Singh Oberoi,
National Editor Greater Kashmir
