There is an atmosphere of tension in Bangladesh after a Hindu man was beaten to death. ABP News spoke to foreign affairs expert Sanjeev Srivastava regarding this. During this, Sanjeev Srivastava expressed his views. He was asked what would you say on such news continuously coming out from Bangladesh in the last few months. He said that this environment does not seem to have arisen due to any one incident, but behind it there appears to be an ideological and political ground that has been prepared for a long time.
Sanjeev Srivastava said that religious identity is being made a political weapon in the country, so that the power equations can be changed by dividing the society. Anti-India has been made an important part of this strategy, because it becomes easier to raise an emotional issue.
Increasing activism of fundamentalist organizations
Some radical Islamist organizations already present in Bangladesh are now coming forward more openly. Their aim is not only to increase religious influence but also to gain political power. Putting pressure on the Hindu community by considering it as a weak link and presenting India as an “external enemy” is part of this entire strategy. This kind of narrative creates fear and anger among the common people, making it easier for radical thinking to gain support.
Direction of politics changed after 5 August 2024
Foreign affairs experts said, ‘After the removal of Sheikh Hasina government from power on August 5, 2024, the politics of Bangladesh suddenly took a new turn. The ban on the Awami League, the tough action against its leaders and the unilateral change in the balance of power indicated that this was not just a change of power, but the beginning of a major political realignment. During this period, instability within the country increased and fundamentalist voices started getting more space.
Serious questions arise on the interim government
The interim government was formed with the aim of maintaining law and order and conducting fair elections, but in practice the picture appears to be different. The government took decisions that were directly related to foreign policy and ideological direction. The sudden warmth in relations with Pakistan, loosening of restrictions on fundamentalist organizations and ignoring religious politics, all these have raised questions on the impartiality of the government.
Are Pakistan and external forces also playing a role?
Experts believe that the anti-India atmosphere in Bangladesh is not just the result of domestic politics. Pakistan’s deep-state structure and its intelligence agency have long been trying to challenge India’s influence in the region. Apart from this, creating instability in South Asia can also be strategically beneficial for some global powers. Bangladesh seems to be becoming the new field of this geopolitical game.
New political forces and anti-India politics
Some new parties that have emerged in recent times are openly targeting India. By making statements against India, these organizations are trying to prove themselves nationalist, whereas the real objective is to garner domestic support. Anti-India has become an issue through which political identity can be created even without concrete policies.
Who is most at risk?
The most serious impact of this entire incident has been on the Hindu community of Bangladesh. Attacks on temples, vandalism of houses and a constant atmosphere of fear indicate that when the state is weak and fundamentalists are given a free hand, it is the minorities who are the first to be targeted. If this trend continues, it will not only threaten the social unity of Bangladesh but will also affect the stability of the entire region.
Painful death of Dipu Chandra Das
On December 18, 25-year-old Dipu Chandra Das, who worked in a garment factory in Bangladesh, was beaten to death by a mob on charges of blasphemy in Baluka, Mymensingh and his body was set on fire. According to the police, Das was first beaten by the mob outside the factory and then hanged from a tree. The mob left his body near the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway and later set it on fire. A protester said, ‘A Hindu man was brutally attacked and killed. We request our government to take strict action against those who are behind this murder.
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