India’s growing rift with Bangladesh echoes its Pakistan tensions

As New Delhi voices concerns for Hindu rights in Bangladesh while sheltering the ousted Sheikh Hasina, accusations of meddling run rife

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Hindu activists burn an effigy of Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh, in Amritsar, India, on December 27. Photo: AFP

Published: 3:30pm, 12 Jan 2025

Once seen as a cornerstone of South Asian diplomacy, the relationship between India and Bangladesh is now under strain, with analysts warning that unchecked political interference and unresolved domestic issues could push ties to a breaking point.

As India shelters ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina and raises concerns about Hindu rights in its neighbour, analysts accuse New Delhi of overstepping its bounds and meddling in Dhaka’s internal affairs.

The fallout could deepen a growing divide, observers warn, unless both sides embrace urgent diplomacy.

Tensions escalated earlier this month when India’s Ministry of External Affairs demanded a fair trial for Hindu minorities in Bangladesh after a court rejected the bail plea of a Hindu priest implicated in a sedition case.

These concerns followed months of unrest after the ousting of Hasina, who fled to India on August 5 amid massive student-led protests that ended her 15-year rule. Delhi, widely seen as a staunch supporter of Hasina’s Awami League, has reportedly provided her with housing.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) shakes hand with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi last year, before her ousting. Photo: AP

India’s involvement in Bangladesh’s politics has led to perceptions of interference, said Shafi Md Mostofa, a securities studies scholar and associate professor at the University of Dhaka.