Sheikh Hasina’s prolonged stay in India fuels deep suspicion in Bangladesh
Islamabad: The people of Bangladesh have demanded Sheikh Hasina’s return to face justice over India-backed brutalities.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Sheikh Hasina’s prolonged stay in India has fueled deep suspicion in Bangladesh, where many believe her political survival was long orchestrated by New Delhi.
Critics highlight her authoritarian crackdowns, suppression of opposition and controversial Digital Security Act.
Furthermore, they accuse India of shielding her regime and undermining Bangladesh’s democratic aspirations. Therefore, demands for her immediate return and accountability grow wide.
Before the 2018 elections, thousands of BNP activists were jailed. Khaleda Zia, Hasina’s main rival, remained politically sidelined.
Critics argue that India endorsed her crackdowns by quickly congratulating despite widespread claims of fraud, which many Bangladeshis saw as New Delhi shielding her from international criticism.
Hannah Ellis-Petersen, The Guardian’s rep in India, argues that New Delhi was seen as the former PM’s greatest ally. Now it must reckon with a new government that wants accountability for her regime’s actions.
The Guardian noted that during both her tenures 1996–2001 and after 2009 re-election, Hasina granted India significant influence through economic and security cooperation, opening waterways and enabling lucrative Indian business deals.
India not only ignored Hasina’s growing authoritarianism but was also accused internationally of intervening in Bangladesh’s politics to keep her in power and pressuring other countries to legitimize her rule.
The OHCHR’s June 2022 review of Hasina’s 2018 Digital Security Act found that though framed as a cybercrime and national security measure, it was primarily used to suppress dissent and crush political opponents.
Al Jazeera’s Sanja Kapoor notes that when Hasina arrived at an air force base near New Delhi, she was received by Ajit Doval, India’s security chief and overseer of RAW, which has long been accused of meddling in Bangladesh’s internal affairs and those of other neighbors.
With trust in her governance at an all-time low, the people see Sheikh Hasina’s stay in India as a dangerous alignment with RAW against their democratic aspirations.
Bangladeshis demand Sheikh Hasina’s return to face justice for her brutal repression and human rights violations, carried out through her alignment with India’s political establishment and intelligence agencies.
