https://sputniknews.in/20240723/bangladesh-riots-india-wary-of-west-backed-calls-to-topple-hasina-7886456.html
Bangladesh Riots: India Wary of West-Backed Calls to Topple Hasina
Bangladesh Riots: India Wary of West-Backed Calls to Topple Hasina
Sputnik India
An official from Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League told Sputnik India on Tuesday that Dhaka expected India’s support in warding off efforts, apparently backed by West, to topple PM Hasina. The US and UK on Monday criticised Dhaka for its actions.
2024-07-23T17:35+0530
2024-07-23T17:35+0530
2024-07-23T17:35+0530
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There is a growing sense of unease in India over perceived backing by Western powers for opposition alliance of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), which have doubled down on calls to expel Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in the wake of deadly quota movement protests, the experts told Sputnik India.A statement issued by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information this week squarely blamed BNP and JI for using genuine student protestors as a “shield” to perpetrate violence during the protests, which had been going on peacefully before last week. Over 160 people have died in the protests, though the government is yet to release an official death toll, according to estimates.Meanwhile, the ruling by the country’s Supreme Court on Sunday, ordering the scaling down of reservation in government jobs to overall 7 percent, has done little to de-escalate the political situation, even as students have reportedly announced a 48-hour pause in demonstrations from Monday.Criticism of Awami League have been especially vocal in the UK and the US, home to many members of BNP's exiled leadership and their supporters.New Delhi has always backed a “stable, peaceful and a prosperous” Bangladesh, Dr. Anirban Ganguly, the Chairman of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-affiliated think tank Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation (SPMRF), told Sputnik India, commenting on the developments in Bangladesh.Ganguly expressed confidence that the judicial probe instituted by the Hasina government would be able to find out the “root cause” of the eruption of violence last week. He believes there are external forces with vested interests in creating unrest in Bangladesh.The BNP-JI opposition activists, which have penetrated the protests, have used it as a platform to spread anti-India sentiment, Ganguly highlighted.He recalled JI’s opposition to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War. In the meantime, India supported Bangladesh’s stability, prosperity and security in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Neighbourhood First Policy, former Ambassador Anil Trigunayat, currently a Distinguished Fellow at New Delhi-based think tank Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), highlighted during a conversation with Sputnik India.However, Bangladesh expected continued support from New Delhi in the face of external efforts to “destabilise” the country, Sadrul Ahmed Khan, an official from Awami League's Finance and Planning Affairs Sub-Committee, told Sputnik India, adding that India was always viewed as the country's “closest security and political partner” dating back to the 1971 Liberation War.Khan expressed confidence that both the states would continue to support “democratic processes” in the other nation.Rejecting statements by the US and UK, he stressed that Bangladesh was fully capable of managing its internal matters without any interference from “big powers”.A destabilised Bangladesh would have security implications for India as well, he explained.However, the current situation in Bangladesh had “drastically improved” as compared to what it was last week, Khan remarked, assuring that the internet services in the country would be resumed in coming days.“The decision to deploy the Army has borne fruit,” Khan concluded.Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refused to comment on the anti-India statements by BNP-Jamaat, describing them as an “internal matter” for Dhaka. The MEA has said that five Indian missions in Bangladesh are in regular touch with their neighbouring counterparts over the safety and security of remaining Indian citizens in the country, many of them being students. According to the latest update by the MEA, around 4,500 Indian students have returned from the violence-hit nation till Sunday.
https://sputniknews.in/20240721/bangladeshs-opposition-seeks-us-support-for-protests-7876536.html
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Bangladesh Riots: India Wary of West-Backed Calls to Topple Hasina
An official from Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League told Sputnik India on Tuesday that Dhaka expected India’s support in warding off efforts, apparently backed by West, to topple PM Hasina. The US and UK on Monday criticised Dhaka for its actions.
There is a growing sense of unease in India over perceived backing by Western powers for opposition alliance of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), which have doubled down on calls to expel Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government in the wake of deadly quota movement protests, the experts told Sputnik India.
A statement issued by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Information this week squarely blamed BNP and JI for using genuine student protestors as a “shield” to perpetrate violence during the protests, which had been going on peacefully before last week. Over 160 people have died in the protests, though the government is yet to release an official death toll, according to estimates.
Meanwhile, the ruling by the country’s Supreme Court on Sunday, ordering the scaling down of reservation in government jobs to overall 7 percent, has done little to de-escalate the political situation, even as students have reportedly announced a 48-hour pause in demonstrations from Monday.
Criticism of Awami League have been
especially vocal in the UK and the US, home to many members of BNP's exiled leadership and their supporters.
New Delhi has always backed a “stable, peaceful and a prosperous” Bangladesh, Dr. Anirban Ganguly, the Chairman of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-affiliated think tank Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation (SPMRF), told Sputnik India, commenting on the developments in Bangladesh.
“I believe that Sheikh Hasina has done an enviable job of running the country in the last 15 years, in spite of great odds. She has taken utmost care to ensure that the country steers clear of any unrest or complications. She has focussed on ensuring political stability and economic growth,” Ganguly remarked.
Ganguly expressed confidence that the judicial probe instituted by the Hasina government would be able to find out the “root cause” of the eruption of violence last week. He believes there are external forces with vested interests in creating unrest in Bangladesh.
The BNP-JI opposition activists, which have penetrated the protests, have used it as a platform to spread anti-India sentiment, Ganguly highlighted.
“The BNP and Jamaat are a coalition cocktail which harbour a deep animus towards India. A section of protestors during the ongoing demonstrations have called Hasina as a "broker" for India,” Ganguly said.
He recalled JI’s opposition to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan during the
1971 Liberation War.
In the meantime, India supported Bangladesh’s stability, prosperity and security in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s
Neighbourhood First Policy, former
Ambassador Anil Trigunayat, currently a Distinguished Fellow at New Delhi-based think tank Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF), highlighted during a conversation with
Sputnik India.
“No doubt some external powers who do not like the current government in Dhaka may try to add fuel to fire. However, since the Supreme Court has given a decision rationalizing the cause of quota discontent, I would hope situation will stabilize soon,” the former Indian diplomat stated.
However, Bangladesh expected continued support from New Delhi in the face of external efforts to “destabilise” the country, Sadrul Ahmed Khan, an official from Awami League's Finance and Planning Affairs Sub-Committee, told Sputnik India, adding that India was always viewed as the country's “closest security and political partner” dating back to the 1971 Liberation War.
Khan expressed confidence that both the states would continue to support “democratic processes” in the other nation.
Rejecting statements by the US and UK, he stressed that Bangladesh was fully capable of managing its internal matters without any interference from “big powers”.
“We are keeping a close eye on vested western actors trying to destabilise the situation in our country. We don't want to see another Myanmar being created in Bangladesh. The powers which were trying to carve out a separate ethnic state from Bangladesh, we are not sure if it was their plan or not, but our government is careful to keep the security and sovereignty of the state intact,” the ruling party official warned.
A destabilised Bangladesh would have security implications for India as well, he explained.
However, the current situation in Bangladesh had “drastically improved” as compared to what it was last week, Khan remarked, assuring that the internet services in the country would be resumed in coming days.
“The decision to deploy the Army has borne fruit,” Khan concluded.
Meanwhile, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has refused to comment on the anti-India statements by BNP-Jamaat, describing them as an “internal matter” for Dhaka. The MEA has said that five Indian missions in Bangladesh are in regular touch with their neighbouring counterparts over the safety and security of remaining Indian citizens in the country, many of them being students. According to the latest update by the MEA, around 4,500 Indian students have returned from the violence-hit nation till Sunday.
